Apple confirmed a few hours ago what the rumours had been pointing to for some time: the new version of Siri will run on Google Gemini. A partnership that, in addition to evolving Siri’s capabilities, will also enable the arrival of new features that will take advantage of Apple’s cloud infrastructure and Google’s AI expertise.
Apple and Google’s official announcement puts an end to speculation
Apple and Google have publicly confirmed their alliance through a joint statement which, while light on detail, puts an end to speculation. According to the original text first published by CNBC, “Apple and Google have entered into a multi-year collaboration under which the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be based on Google’s Gemini models and cloud technology. These models will help power future Apple Intelligence features, including a more personalized Siri coming this year.
After careful evaluation, Apple determined that Google’s Al technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models and is excited about the innovative new experiences it will unlock for Apple users. Apple Intelligence will continue to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute, while maintaining Apple’s industry-leading privacy standards.”
A smarter, more personalised Siri coming very soon
The main new thing we’ll see thanks to this deal is a Siri that’s far more aware of our personal context, with better natural-language understanding and a better grasp of what’s happening on our screen. Apple has confirmed that the assistant will be able to interpret information from our apps, such as Mail or Messages, to provide more complete answers to our questions. For instance, we’ll be able to ask about a contact’s flight arrival time or whether we have any lunch plans coming up with that person, and Siri will answer based on the data we already have on our devices.
This new Siri is expected to launch with iOS 26.4 over the next few months, and it will arrive alongside Apple Intelligence features that will integrate Gemini models within Apple’s private cloud. According to Apple, Siri’s future lies in full integration with our apps and a deeper understanding of our day-to-day life, all without needing to change how we use it.
Privacy and private-cloud processing: Apple’s guarantees
Another key point of this agreement is how it affects privacy. Apple has reiterated that Apple Intelligence—here, using Gemini technology—will continue to operate locally on our devices and within the Private Cloud Compute infrastructure, which means personal data will remain protected under the same standards we already know and value.
While Gemini models provide the power the new Siri needs, Apple will keep control over privacy and information handling.
Another part of the announcement is that, at least for now, integration with ChatGPT will remain active for more complex queries, although it’s not clear whether Gemini will eventually take over that role entirely. What does seem certain is that Apple wants to offer us an assistant capable of dealing with any situation without us having to worry about where our data is processed—if it is processed at all.
With this announcement, Apple confirms it’s ready to compete head-on in the field of artificial intelligence. The deal with Google ensures that the Apple ecosystem will evolve towards a much smarter experience, where Siri, Writing Tools, Notification Summaries and other Apple Intelligence features are smarter than ever.
