How Apple’s Siri Is Getting a Major AI Upgrade with Google’s Gemini Model

In a bold move signalling its escalating push into advanced artificial intelligence (AI), Apple, Inc. is reportedly forging a deal with Google LLC to integrate a customised version of Google’s Gemini model into its voice assistant, Siri. According to these reports, the model will feature an estimated 1.2 trillion parameters, a dramatic leap over Apple’s current AI infrastructure. Apple may pay roughly US $1 billion annually for access. 

This article examines the origin of the deal, technical implications, strategic positioning, risks and opportunities, and what it means for users and the broader AI ecosystem.

Background: Why Apple is making this move

Siri’s competitive standing

For years, Siri has lagged behind rivals such as Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa in terms of handling multi-step tasks, context-aware queries and conversational intelligence. As AI advances rapidly, users expect smarter assistants; Apple’s AI offering — branded as Apple Intelligence — has faced delays and critical scrutiny.

Why work with Google’s Gemini?

Apple reportedly evaluated multiple external AI models including GPT‑4o/ChatGPT (via OpenAI) and Claude from Anthropic, before choosing Google’s offering. The size of the Gemini model—approximately 1.2 trillion parameters versus Apple’s current ~150 billion-parameter in-house cloud model gives Apple a way to leapfrog in the near term.

Strategic significance

This arrangement suggests Apple is temporarily outsourcing some AI functions rather than waiting years to build its own “next-gen” model from scratch. It buys time and competitive breathing room. At the same time, Apple emphasises it will continue developing its proprietary AI stack for future use.

Key deal details & technical architecture

Scope of services

• Apple will reportedly pay approximately US $1 billion per year to Google for access to this custom Gemini model.
  
• The model will be focused on “summariser” and “planner” functions inside Siri — essentially, capabilities that help Siri understand complex queries and map actions, while Apple’s own models will continue to handle other parts of the assistant.
  
• The custom model will run on Apple’s Private Cloud Compute infrastructure, ensuring user data remains isolated from Google’s core systems.
  

Parameters & architecture

• The Gemini-based model reportedly uses ~1.2 trillion parameters, a substantial increase over Apple’s current cloud-based AI (~150 billion parameters) and reflects a cutting-edge large language model (LLM) architecture.
  
• The model uses a “mixture-of-experts” design, where only a subset of parameters are active for each query. This allows for high capacity without exponential cost.
  

Timeline & product rollout

• The new iteration of Siri — internally code-named “Linwood” — is targeted for release in spring 2026 via updates such as iOS 26.4.
  
• Apple’s ultimate goal is to transition away from Google’s model when its own in-house model (which it plans to build up to ~1 trillion parameters) is ready.
  

What this means for users and devices

Enhanced capabilities

With the Gemini model powering key functions, Siri is expected to:

• Handle more complex, multi-step workflows (e.g., “plan a weekend trip, book itinerary, send invites”)
  
• Generate high-quality summaries from documents, conversations or visuals
  
• Better understand context across apps, devices and time-spans
  
• Provide more human-level conversational support
  

These improvements can markedly improve productivity on iPhones, iPads, Macs and Apple’s ecosystem of devices.

Privacy and data handling

Privacy is a core Apple value. According to reports:

• The Gemini model will run on Apple’s servers (Private Cloud Compute), meaning Google will not directly see user data.
  
• Apple still handles the “edge” and device-specific models, likely enabling on-device processing for certain tasks.
  
• Users will likely see prompts when third-party or higher-risk AI models are invoked (as in existing ChatGPT integration) and will have control over opt-ins.
  

Availability & regional considerations

• The upgrade will be global, but in certain regions (notably China) where Google services are restricted, Apple plans to rely entirely on its own models and local partners (e.g., Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.) rather than Gemini.
  
• Because the partnership is mostly behind the scenes (no co-branding of Google AI), users may not see a “Powered by Google” label; Apple will likely present it domestically as a Siri improvement.
  

Strategic & competitive implications

For Apple

• This deal indicates Apple acknowledges it had fallen behind in AI compared to competitors and is willing to invest heavily to catch up.
  
• By partnering now, Apple avoids further delays in delivering meaningful AI features to users and preserves brand reputation.
  
• Maintaining control of core infrastructure and having a transition path to its own models preserves long-term strategic independence.
  

For Google

• Google moves from being a dominant search provider within Apple (via Safari) to also becoming an invisible AI supplier — diversifying its business relationships.
  
• The deal reinforces Google’s position as a leader in large-scale LLMs and provides a high-value customer contract.
  

For the AI ecosystem

• The emergence of a trillion-parameter scale model (1.2 T parameters) underscores the escalating “arms race” in AI.
  
• Even major tech companies (like Apple) may need to partner externally rather than develop entirely on their own — reflecting the rising cost and complexity of building frontier AI models.
  
• The privacy architecture (running on Apple’s server infrastructure, not Google’s) may set an industry precedent for third-party model integration where vendor control and user data isolation matter.
  

Risks, challenges and open questions

Execution risk

• Integrating such a massive model reliably and efficiently in real-world product conditions is non-trivial; latency, energy, and accuracy remain challenges.
  
• Users and reviewers may compare performance to Google Assistant or Alexa; high expectations raise the bar.

Privacy and trust

• Even though data is to be isolated, some users may still perceive risk given the involvement of Google. Transparent communication will be critical.
  
• Apple must ensure that using a third-party model doesn’t compromise its strong branding of privacy and ecosystem security.
  

Transition and long-term strategy

• Apple’s internal model (target ~1 trillion parameters) still needs to reach competitive parity or better; if delays occur, the partnership could turn into a longer-term dependency.
  
• In markets like China, where this Google-powered model cannot be used, Apple must ensure its alternative stack can deliver competitive experience — otherwise fragmentation risk increases.
  

Competitive response

• Rivals such as Google, Amazon, Microsoft and others will continue pushing their own assistants and AI capabilities; Apple’s partnership may be seen as catching up rather than leading.
  
• Regulation and antitrust scrutiny may intensify as large AI models become more central — Apple and Google may face increased oversight.
  

Real-world examples & case studies

• Trip Planning Scenario: A user says: “Hey Siri, plan a three-day trip to Berlin for five people, book hotels, rides, and create invites.” With Gemini’s “planner” module, Siri could ingest data (available flights/hotels, calendar availability), generate options, present a ranked choice, book them, and send invites — far beyond typical voice commands today.
  
• Document Summarisation: Suppose a user receives a detailed PDF report on healthcare industry AI trends. Siri could summarise key points (“growth projected at 38% CAGR from 2025-30, top regions: Asia-Pacific, regulatory risk…”) and highlight action items (“schedule meeting with team”, “save report to folder AI-Research”).
  
• Contextual Multi-Step Workflow: In the context of Apple’s ecosystem (iPhone + Mac + HomePod), a user might command: “Siri, learn the meeting transcript and write a draft follow-up email to participants by tomorrow midday.” The system would detect device context (Mac at desk, HomePod in office), pick the transcript, summarise salient points, draft the email, and either ask for approval or schedule the send.
  

These are speculative examples, but they illustrate the level of sophistication the partnership seeks to deliver.

Conclusion

The reported partnership between Apple and Google represents a major inflection point in the evolution of voice assistants and consumer AI. For Apple, it is a strategic recognition that achieving frontier-level AI may require external collaboration. For Google, it reinforces its dominance in large-scale model development. For users, it promises a future where Siri becomes far more capable, contextual and helpful.

Yet, the road ahead remains challenging. Execution, privacy, long-term independence, and market expectations will all determine whether this partnership genuinely elevates Siri — or simply bridges a gap until Apple’s own systems catch up. In any case, the alliance is a telling indicator of where the AI industry is heading: large-parameter models, strategic partnerships, and ecosystems striving to deliver seamless intelligence across devices.

FAQs

What exactly is Apple’s deal with Google regarding Siri?

Apple is reportedly finalising an agreement to use a custom version of Google’s Gemini model (≈1.2 trillion parameters) for key functions in Siri. The arrangement would cost around US $1 billion per year and serve as a stop-gap until Apple’s in-house models mature.

When will the upgraded Siri be available?

The upgraded version is targeted for release in spring 2026 — likely via iOS 26.4 or similar updates.

Will my data go to Google’s servers?

According to reports, no — the custom model will run on Apple’s own Private Cloud Compute servers, keeping user data isolated from Google’s core systems.

Does this mean Apple is abandoning its own AI efforts?

Not exactly. While Apple is relying on the Gemini partnership for now, it continues to build its own large-scale model (targeting ~1 trillion parameters) and plans to migrate away from Google’s model when its system is ready.

What does this mean for Siri’s performance?

In theory, it means Siri will be able to handle more complex queries, plan multi-step tasks, summarise content across apps/devices, and deliver far more contextual responses — improving user experience significantly.