Apple is reportedly leaning on Google’s advanced Gemini model to finally deliver a massive, long-overdue overhaul to Siri, marking a pivotal moment where the tech giants become frenemies in the high-stakes AI race.
In a move that underscores the fierce competition and massive infrastructural demands of the generative AI race, a new report suggests Apple will leverage Google’s flagship Gemini model to power its long-awaited and much-needed Siri overhaul. This strategic partnership with its biggest rival signals that Apple is prioritizing delivering a cutting-edge AI experience to its users, even if it means reaching outside its historically insular ecosystem.
According to the report, Apple is paying Google to develop a custom, Gemini-based model tailored to the new Siri architecture, internally codenamed “Glenwood.” This model is specifically designed to run on Apple’s Private Cloud Compute infrastructure, an arrangement that allows the iPhone maker to maintain its crucial commitment to user privacy while utilizing Google’s advanced, web-scale large language model (LLM) capabilities.
The primary goal is to transform Siri from a basic voice assistant into a more context-aware, conversational, and intelligent system. This Gemini-powered backend will reportedly handle complex queries, advanced summarization, and sophisticated AI-powered web searches, giving Siri the “brain upgrade” users have been demanding for years. Apple’s own Foundation Models, meanwhile, will continue to handle on-device, personalized data processing.
The rollout is currently rumored to be targeting March 2026 and, notably, Apple is not expected to publicly acknowledge Google’s involvement. The new capabilities will be marketed as Apple Intelligence, delivered through the familiar Apple user interface. This quiet alliance is a massive strategic win for Google, validating Gemini as an enterprise-grade AI solution, and a necessary, pragmatic pivot for Apple as it works to close the significant AI gap with its competitors.
