On Monday, Apple confirmed a partnership with Google. Neither of them confirmed the price, but previous reports have suggested that Apple could pay Google around $1 billion for access to its AI technology. The deal comes after Apple spent time testing technologies from competitors such as OpenAI and Anthropic.
“After careful evaluation, we determined that Google’s technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models and we’re excited about the innovative new experiences it will unlock for our users,” Apple and Google said in a statement.
Under the multi-year partnership, Apple will use Google’s Gemini models and cloud technologies for future Apple flagship models. The deal is not exclusive, according to a source familiar with the matter. Apple has historically focused on vertical integration, relying on its own hardware and software.
The move marks a significant shift for Apple, a company known for building as many features as possible in-house. Siri has long lagged behind newer AI assistants in handling complex or conversational queries, and delays in promised updates have frustrated users. Now, with Gemini, Apple is trying to accelerate its roadmap, specifically by making Siri better able to understand context, plan tasks, and respond more naturally.
Gemini models will be the foundation of Apple Intelligence, the company’s AI layer that goes beyond voice commands to provide insights, planning, and assistance across the system. That said, Apple isn’t handing everything over to Google. Many tasks will still reportedly be performed on-device or via a Private Cloud Compute system, which is designed to limit how much personal data ever goes beyond the user’s control. Gemini will mostly handle the more demanding tasks that require large-scale models.
Apple is currently working with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into Siri and Apple Intelligence, especially for complex queries that can leverage the AI model’s knowledge of the world. It’s unclear what Google’s partnership means for ChatGPT integration in the future.
Apple’s partnership with Google also comes at a time when the search and advertising technology giant has been embroiled in a series of antitrust lawsuits, including one that has brought its relationship with Apple to the forefront.
In August 2024, a federal judge ruled that Google acted illegally to maintain a monopoly on online search by paying companies like Apple to have its search engine appear as the default on its devices and web browsers. Between 2021 and 2022, Google paid Apple about $38 billion to secure its default search positions.
In December 2025, Judge Amit Mehta issued his final remedies on the case, which include banning Google from entering into exclusive, default agreements like the one it had with Apple “unless the agreement terminates no more than one year after the date it is entered.”
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