Apple is close to finalizing a major deal with Google, reportedly agreeing to pay about $1 billion per year for a custom version of Google’s Gemini AI model to support an ambitious overhaul of its Siri voice assistant, according to a Bloomberg report.

The partnership marks a significant shift for Apple, which has traditionally emphasized building its own technology ecosystem.

Apple Turns to Google’s Gemini Model for Next-Generation Siri

The forthcoming agreement would allow Apple to leverage Google’s Gemini AI, a model boasting 1.2 trillion parameters, to enhance Siri’s capabilities.

This would represent a dramatic leap from Apple’s current cloud-based Apple Intelligence model, which has around 150 billion parameters. The increased complexity of Gemini could help Siri deliver more natural responses and handle advanced user requests more effectively.

Apple reportedly sees Google’s AI as a temporary solution, filling the gap until its in-house AI systems reach comparable strength.

Apple’s AI Tests Included OpenAI and Anthropic

Before settling on Google, Apple evaluated AI models from OpenAI and Anthropic earlier this year. According to Bloomberg, Apple’s internal testing included all three companies before the tech giant ultimately decided Google’s technology best met its needs.

This selection underscores Apple’s strategic focus on ensuring its upcoming Siri upgrade can compete with AI assistants powered by rival platforms.

Revamped Siri Expected Next Spring

The newly enhanced Siri is expected to debut next spring, as part of Apple’s next major software update.

However, Bloomberg noted that plans for the overhaul could still evolve before the official launch, as Apple continues refining how Gemini’s AI will integrate with its ecosystem and privacy standards.

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This article was created with AI assistance.