APPLE plans to use Google’s Gemini AI model to power an updated version of Siri set to launch later this year, the two companies announced Monday.

“After careful evaluation, Apple determined that Google’s AI 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 and Google said in a joint statement. They said they have entered a multi‑year contract under which Apple will use Google’s Gemini model and cloud computing technology to support AI features.

The move could help Apple accelerate the release of a more advanced, AI‑powered Siri, which was delayed after it was first teased at the company’s 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference. That delay had fueled concerns that Apple is lagging other tech giants in AI development.

Apple is counting on enhanced AI capabilities, including the updated Siri, to help revive device sales after several difficult years for the iPhone.

The deal is also a major win for Google in the ongoing Silicon Valley competition to build the most capable and widely used AI model. Apple has also partnered with OpenAI to use ChatGPT for some AI features, but the agreement announced Monday places Gemini at the center of Apple’s future AI strategy. It was not immediately clear whether — or how — the Google deal will affect ChatGPT’s integration into some iPhone features.

The financial terms were not disclosed. Bloomberg reported last fall that Apple was planning to pay about US$1 billion per year to incorporate Gemini into the updated Siri, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter. That report also said Apple had considered partnerships with other AI firms, including OpenAI and Anthropic.

Apple said Monday that under the agreement its “Apple Intelligence” features will continue to run either on users’ devices or in a secure cloud to protect personal data.(SD-Agencies)