Apple Plans Google Gemini Partnership to Revamp Siri AI by 2026

Apple is considering a significant shift in its AI strategy by potentially partnering with Google to use its Gemini AI model for a major overhaul of its Siri voice assistant, targeting a 2026 launch. Internal efforts to improve Siri's AI have lagged behind competitors, with Apple’s own research suggesting it is over two years behind rivals, prompting the company to explore external partnerships, including with Google, Anthropic, and OpenAI. Google has begun training a custom Gemini model tailored to run on Apple's private servers, but Apple has yet to decide whether to continue developing Siri internally or to adopt an external AI partner. The revamped Siri system is expected to integrate multiple AI models, possibly using a private cloud compute setup, allowing Siri to call on different AI tools as needed while maintaining user privacy. This move marks a departure from Apple’s previous in-house development approach, reflecting CEO Tim Cook’s apparent willingness to collaborate with external AI providers to accelerate improvements. The decision is still pending, with Apple reportedly several weeks away from finalizing its approach.