Apple Nears $1 Billion Annual Deal with Google to Power Next-Gen Siri Using Gemini AI

Apple is reportedly on the verge of striking a landmark deal with Google to integrate its cutting-edge Gemini artificial intelligence model into the next generation of Siri. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, this potential partnership could cost Apple approximately $1 billion per year, marking one of the most significant collaborations between the two tech rivals in recent years.

While Apple has long prided itself on developing its own in-house technology, the company is now looking to Google’s AI expertise to boost Siri’s intelligence and capabilities. Sources indicate that Apple plans to use Gemini as a temporary solution while continuing to strengthen its proprietary AI models under the Apple Intelligence umbrella.

Gemini, Google’s flagship AI model, is said to include roughly 1.2 trillion parameters—vastly more than Apple’s existing cloud-based models, which currently operate around 150 billion parameters. In AI terms, a greater number of parameters generally translates to more advanced reasoning, better real-time understanding, and the ability to handle complex, multi-step tasks. This leap could make Siri significantly more capable, conversational, and context-aware across Apple’s ecosystem.

Despite relying on Google’s technology, Apple reportedly plans to maintain its privacy-first philosophy by hosting Gemini through its own infrastructure. This means user data would continue to be processed within Apple’s secure, privacy-controlled environment, rather than Google’s servers. Such a setup would allow Apple to leverage Gemini’s power without compromising its longstanding commitment to data protection and transparency.

Before turning to Google, Apple is said to have evaluated AI systems from OpenAI and Anthropic, running extensive internal tests to measure model accuracy, reliability, and scalability. Gemini reportedly emerged as the top performer across Apple’s benchmarks and best suited for deep integration into iOS. Previous reports suggested that Apple had experimented with OpenAI’s ChatGPT for some features in iOS 18, but this new Siri overhaul represents a far more foundational shift in Apple’s AI strategy.

The revamped Siri, powered by Gemini, is expected to introduce more natural conversational abilities, enhanced automation, and richer contextual understanding across apps and devices. According to reports, Apple is targeting a spring 2026 launch window, although development timelines could still shift due to ongoing technical refinements and internal reorganisation.

However, the partnership raises key strategic questions. Can Apple maintain its unique identity while depending on another company’s core AI model? Will users continue to trust Apple’s privacy stance when third-party AI is involved, even if data remains under Apple’s control?

Apple reportedly plans to transition back to its own large-scale AI model—currently in development and rumoured to exceed one trillion parameters—once it reaches production readiness, possibly as early as late 2026.

If finalised, this billion-dollar collaboration could redefine how Apple approaches AI, potentially bridging the gap between its privacy-driven philosophy and the rapidly advancing capabilities of generative intelligence.