Apple Gemini Siri deal expands AI integration scope
A quiet recalibration in consumer AI platforms took shape Monday as a long-anticipated partnership moved from negotiation to deployment. The Apple & Gemini Siri deal positions Google’s frontier models at the core of Apple’s next Siri iteration, scheduled to arrive later this year. The agreement links two of the world’s largest technology ecosystems at a moment when default intelligence layers, not devices, increasingly define competitive advantage.
Under a multi-year arrangement, Apple will integrate Google’s Gemini models into a revamped Siri experience. The move strengthens Google’s standing in the global race with OpenAI, while extending a partnership that already shapes search, mobile services, and platform economics.
The decision opens access to Apple’s installed base of more than two billion active devices. Google’s models already support portions of Samsung’s “Galaxy AI.” Siri now becomes the largest single consumer interface yet to rely on Gemini at scale.
Platform selection follows internal model review
“After careful evaluation, Apple determined Google’s AI technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models,” Google said, adding that its models will also power other future Apple Intelligence features.
People familiar with the discussions said Apple weighed multiple providers before finalizing the integration. Alphabet and OpenAI competed for the role, though neither company disclosed financial terms. Apple had already enabled ChatGPT access on its devices in late 2024, allowing Siri to route complex queries to the chatbot.
Apple said there were no major changes to the ChatGPT integration at the time, while OpenAI did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
Competitive reactions highlight concentration concerns
“This seems like an unreasonable concentration of power for Google, given that (they) also have Android and Chrome,” Elon Musk said in a post on social media platform X.
Musk founded xAI, which competes with established developers by building foundational models and investing heavily in computing infrastructure. His remarks reflect broader scrutiny around platform consolidation as default AI layers begin to mirror the influence once held by operating systems and browsers.
The tie-up also reframes OpenAI’s position within Apple’s ecosystem. In response to Gemini 3, Sam Altman late last year reportedly issued a “code red” to accelerate development timelines.
“Apple’s decision to use Google’s Gemini models for Siri shifts OpenAI into a more supporting role, with ChatGPT remaining positioned for complex, opt-in queries rather than the default intelligence layer,” said Parth Talsania, CEO of Equisights Research.
Google accelerates model deployment cadence
Google has intensified development across frontier models, image generation, and video synthesis as it counters OpenAI’s early momentum. The Siri integration provides a distribution channel that few rivals can match, embedding Gemini into daily device interactions rather than discrete applications.
For Apple, the deal follows a period of uneven progress in generative AI. Siri upgrades faced delays, executive leadership shifted, and early Apple Intelligence tools drew a measured response from users. By relying on an external model partner, Apple prioritizes performance consistency while continuing internal model development.
Privacy architecture and operational boundaries
“Apple Intelligence will continue to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute, while maintaining Apple’s industry-leading privacy standards,” Google said on Monday, addressing concerns over data handling and cross-platform visibility.
The structure preserves Apple’s on-device processing strategy while allowing Gemini to handle broader reasoning tasks. The approach reflects a hybrid model now common across large platforms, where local computation and cloud inference share responsibility.
Market impact and partnership context
The agreement builds on a years-long arrangement that makes Google the default search engine on Apple devices, a relationship that generates tens of billions of dollars annually for Apple while driving traffic for Google. News of the Siri integration lifted Alphabet’s market valuation above $4 trillion on Monday. The stock rose 65% last year amid investor optimism around AI execution.
Industry backdrop: default AI layers gain strategic weight
Across the technology sector, platform owners increasingly compete over which model becomes the default intelligence interface. Cloud providers, handset makers, and software ecosystems now treat AI selection as infrastructure, not a feature. Regulators in the U.S. and Europe continue to assess market concentration risks tied to data, distribution, and compute scale. Within this context, the Apple-Gemini Siri deal signals a shift toward deeper cross-platform dependencies as companies balance speed, capability, and control in the next phase of consumer AI deployment.
