Apple has confirmed a major artificial intelligence partnership with Google, ending months of speculation over how the iPhone maker plans to strengthen its AI capabilities, particularly around Siri. In a joint statement, the two companies said Apple selected Google after extensive evaluation, noting that Google’s technology offered the most capable foundation for Apple’s next generation of AI models and the new user experiences they are expected to deliver.
The multi year deal will see Apple rely on Google’s Gemini models and cloud infrastructure to support future Apple Foundation Models. While the financial terms were not disclosed, earlier reports suggest Apple could be paying about one billion dollars for access to Google’s AI technology. The agreement is not exclusive, according to sources familiar with the matter, and follows a period during which Apple tested competing technologies from firms such as OpenAI and Anthropic.
The partnership marks a notable shift for Apple, a company long known for tight vertical integration across its hardware and software ecosystem. It also comes amid growing criticism that Apple’s AI efforts, especially Siri, have lagged behind rivals. Although Apple introduced its first Apple Intelligence features in 2024, adding AI powered tools such as photo search and notification summaries, these updates have been widely described as subtle and lacking the dramatic impact seen with platforms like ChatGPT or Gemini.
Apple has defended its approach by pointing to a strong emphasis on privacy, with much of its AI processing done on device or through closely controlled infrastructure. The company said those privacy standards will remain intact under the new partnership with Google. Still, frustration has grown among users over repeated delays to a more personalized Siri, which Apple has postponed several times. A company spokesperson has now confirmed that a major Siri upgrade is expected later this year, with previous reports pointing to a spring launch.
The deal also unfolds against the backdrop of ongoing antitrust scrutiny facing Google. In August 2024, a US federal judge ruled that Google had illegally maintained a monopoly in online search, partly through payments to companies like Apple to secure default search placement. Between 2021 and 2022 alone, Google reportedly paid Apple about 38 billion dollars for such agreements. In December 2025, the court issued remedies barring Google from entering long term exclusive default deals, adding further complexity to one of Silicon Valley’s most influential partnerships.