• Apple is in talks with Google to use Gemini for Siri.
• The move could reshape Apple’s AI tools and ties with Google.

Apple is exploring a major change for Siri that could bring Google’s Gemini AI models into the iPhone. According to Bloomberg, people familiar with the talks say the two companies have held early discussions about building a custom system to run on Apple’s servers, though no deal is finalised.

The move would mark a shift for Apple, which has long built its digital assistant around its own software. Facing delays in its internal work on generative AI, Apple is considering whether to stick with its homegrown technology or partner with outside firms. The company has also spoken with Anthropic and OpenAI about potential integrations.

A push to catch up in AI

Apple came late to the generative AI race and has struggled to close the gap with rivals. A long-promised Siri update — one that could use personal data to fulfil complex commands and allow users to control devices entirely by voice — was supposed to launch last spring. Engineering problems forced Apple to postpone the rollout by a year.

[See also: Google Cloud expands AI security tools at 2025 Summit]

That failure reshaped how the company manages the project. Siri development was taken away from AI chief John Giannandrea and placed under Craig Federighi, who oversees software, and Mike Rockwell, known for his work on the Vision Pro headset. Together with Adrian Perica, who runs Apple’s corporate development team, they began weighing outside help.

At the same time, Apple is running a “bake-off.” One version of the new Siri, code-named Linwood, uses Apple’s own models. Another, Glenwood, relies on third-party systems.

Apple weighs Google’s Gemini for Siri

While Apple considers multiple options, Google’s Gemini stands out. The model is already being trained to work with Apple’s servers, according to people with knowledge of the talks.

The two companies are rivals in smartphones and operating systems, but they already cooperate in search. Google pays billions each year to be the default search engine on Apple devices — a deal now under antitrust scrutiny. A Siri partnership would extend that uneasy alliance.

Shares of both companies climbed after news of the discussions surfaced. Google rose nearly 3% in New York trading, while Apple gained more than 1%.

A broader AI strategy

Even if Apple brings in Gemini, the company isn’t walking away from its own AI research. Its Foundation Models team is developing new systems, including its first trillion-parameter model. For now, that work is limited to research rather than consumer use.

Apple has also begun folding third-party tools into its devices. ChatGPT is available in iOS 26 for image generation, and the company has scrapped a project to build its own AI coding assistant in favour of using ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude.

Still, Apple has tried to keep core AI features — such as Apple Intelligence tools for summarising text or creating custom emoji — under its own control to protect user privacy. If a Siri deal goes forward, any third-party models would run on Apple’s Private Cloud Compute servers, not directly on devices.

Pressure inside Apple

Inside Apple, the uncertainty has created strain. Several members of the Foundation Models team left this summer after chief architect Ruoming Pang departed for Meta, lured by a lucrative offer to join its Superintelligence Labs. Others have started looking for jobs elsewhere.

[See also: iOS 26 vs Android 16: Apple and Google take smartphones in different directions]

Some Apple managers have even floated replacing AI models used beyond Siri, though that idea is not currently in development.

Meanwhile, Apple’s leadership is signalling urgency. At an internal meeting, CEO Tim Cook told employees the company must win in AI and is increasing its investment. On a recent earnings call, he declined to say whether Apple would use third-party models, but his refusal to rule it out suggested the company is seriously considering the option.

What’s next for Apple and Siri

The talks with Google remain preliminary, with no commercial terms in place. But Apple’s willingness to consider outside help shows how far it has fallen behind in AI — and how determined it is to catch up.

For now, Apple is testing whether its own models or those from partners like Google, Anthropic, or OpenAI can finally deliver the smarter Siri it has long promised.