Apple’s forthcoming Apple Intelligence features will make use of Google’s Gemini AI technology, but both companies have stressed that this does not signal Apple abandoning Siri or surrendering control of its AI ecosystem.
Following weeks of speculation, Google has now publicly confirmed a multi-year agreement with Apple that will see Gemini models and cloud infrastructure help underpin the next generation of Apple Foundation Models. These models will support future Apple Intelligence capabilities, including a more advanced and personalized version of Siri expected later this year.
Crucially, Google emphasized that Apple Intelligence will continue to operate under Apple’s strict privacy framework. According to a joint statement released by Google, all Gemini-powered features will run either directly on Apple devices or through Apple’s Private Cloud Compute system, ensuring that user data remains protected under Apple’s industry-leading privacy standards.
This arrangement mirrors Apple’s existing integration with OpenAI’s ChatGPT, where Siri can route certain requests externally without allowing third parties to store or train on user data. In other words, Gemini will serve as a backend capability rather than a replacement for Siri itself.
While Apple previously indicated that Apple Foundation Models would incorporate external technologies, some early reports mistakenly framed the partnership as Apple “switching to Gemini.” Both companies have now made it clear that Siri remains Apple’s assistant, with Gemini acting as a supporting intelligence layer.
Evidence of the partnership has been visible for some time. References to Google Gemini were reportedly discovered in iOS code as far back as February 2025, and earlier reports suggested Apple could be paying Google as much as $1 billion annually for access to Gemini. Neither company has confirmed any financial details.
What remains unclear is exactly how Gemini will be integrated into iOS 26 and which Apple Intelligence features will rely most heavily on Google’s technology. Apple has, however, consistently maintained that Siri’s long-promised overhaul is on track for 2026, and this collaboration appears to be a key component of that transformation.
