Apple selects Google’s Gemini AI for Siri in a major partnership, a shift from its in-house strategy, as Alphabet’s shares hit a $4 trillion valuation.
SAN FRANCISCO: Apple has chosen Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence to power its next-generation AI features, including the Siri assistant.
The companies announced a multi-year partnership on Monday, marking a significant strategic shift for Apple.
A joint statement said Apple selected Google’s technology after a “careful evaluation” determined it provided “the most capable foundation” for its AI ambitions.
The deal represents a rare alliance between the long-time smartphone rivals.
They have maintained a lucrative existing partnership where Google pays Apple billions annually to be the default iPhone search engine.
That search deal is under scrutiny in a US antitrust case but was allowed to continue by a judge.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who owns AI firm xAI, criticised the new AI arrangement as anti-competitive.
He called it “an unreasonable concentration of power for Google, given that they also have Android and Chrome.”
Apple had also reportedly considered partnerships with OpenAI, Anthropic, and Perplexity.
Financial terms were not disclosed, but news sent Google-parent Alphabet’s share price above a $4 trillion valuation for the first time.
Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said the partnership was “a major validation moment for Google.”
He described it as “a stepping stone” for Apple to get its AI strategy on track.
Apple is perceived to have stumbled in rolling out AI capabilities across its products.
It announced in December that the head of its artificial intelligence team was stepping down.
The company also delayed an improved Siri assistant last year, now promised for later this year.
Rivals like Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI have been aggressively releasing improved AI models.
Apple emphasised its in-house AI system, Apple Intelligence, would still power on-device features on iPhones and iPads.
It said this maintains “industry-leading privacy standards.”
