In a major shift within the artificial intelligence industry, Apple officially announced on January 12, 2026, that it has partnered with Google to use Gemini AI models as the core engine behind Siri and upcoming Apple Intelligence features. While OpenAI’s ChatGPT was Siri’s first external AI partner in 2024, Apple’s decision to make Gemini the primary foundation reflects deeper technical, financial, and strategic considerations.
Superior AI Performance for Siri’s Core Tasks
Apple stated that Gemini was selected after a “careful evaluation” of competing models, concluding that Google offered the “most capable foundation” for next-generation Siri functionality. In internal testing, Gemini 3 reportedly outperformed ChatGPT in complex reasoning, planning, and multi-step task execution key requirements for an assistant expected to handle contextual requests such as scheduling, document analysis, and cross-app workflows.
Scale was another decisive factor. Google’s flagship Gemini model reportedly exceeds 1.2 trillion parameters, dwarfing Apple’s in-house Ajax model, which stands at around 150 billion parameters. Apple effectively acknowledged that closing this intelligence gap independently would delay its 2026 AI roadmap.
Privacy-First Infrastructure and White-Label Control
Privacy remains a core Apple principle, and Gemini’s deployment model aligned closely with that philosophy. Google agreed to a white-label infrastructure arrangement, allowing Gemini to operate entirely on Apple’s Private Cloud Compute servers. This ensures that user data never leaves Apple’s ecosystem something OpenAI was reportedly reluctant to fully match.
Apple’s long-standing relationship with Google, including a reported $20 billion annual search partnership, also made large-scale integration smoother. Apple engineers were already familiar with Google’s systems, reducing friction at the operating system level.
Strategic and Financial Friction with OpenAI
The Apple–OpenAI relationship reportedly began to strain in late 2025. One major concern was OpenAI’s move into dedicated AI hardware, led by former Apple design chief Jony Ive, which Apple viewed as a direct threat to the iPhone ecosystem.
Financial terms also played a role. Sources suggest Google offered more favorable pricing—around $1 billion annually, while competitors like Anthropic priced themselves out of contention. Additionally, internal Apple data allegedly showed low user adoption of optional ChatGPT features in Siri, making the shift less risky.
How Siri Will Work in 2026
Under the new structure, Apple will use a hybrid AI hierarchy. On-device models will handle everyday tasks, Gemini will power Siri’s core logic, and OpenAI tools will remain opt-in for creative writing and image generation.
The Gemini-powered Siri is expected to debut with iOS 26.4, currently targeted for March or April 2026, marking a new chapter in Apple’s AI strategy.
