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Tech behemoth Apple is likely to finalize a deal with Google, under which Apple will pay approximately $1 billion annually to license a tailor-made version of Google's Gemini AI model to integrate into its voice assistant, Siri. This indicates a fundamental shift in Apple's plans, as the company reportedly aims to surpass its own ‘Apple Intelligence’ system to remain competitive in the evolving AI landscape.
It would be a major partnership between the two largest tech firms, potentially transforming Siri from a basic voice assistant to a more advanced, conversational, and context-sensitive AI companion.
The custom Gemini model declared for Apple has about 1.2 trillion parameters, a measure of its complexity and scale. In contrast, the company’s ongoing “Apple Intelligence” model uses around 150 billion parameters, thus signaling a huge increase in capability. The new model will operate on Apple’s Private Cloud Compute servers, enabling Apple to control user data and processing infrastructure.
This development comes as Apple continues to face competitive pressure in the voice-assistant and AI space. Rivals such as Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa have advanced multi-step reasoning and deeper integration capabilities. The deal with Google provides Apple with a path to quickly upgrade Siri, while its internal competing model is still under development.The upgrade is expected to debut in the iOS 26.4 update in spring 2026.
The announcement regarding the deal sparked an immediate reaction from the market. Alphabet’s (the parent company of Google) stock went up as the investors considered the deal a strong endorsement of Gemini’s capabilities. Apple’s action also highlights the growing trend that has led big tech firms to participate in multi-billion-dollar AI licensing arrangements. This means that even companies with strong internal capabilities are opting for alliances to address short-term gaps.
For the Indian market, this added feature to Siri may provide better voice-assistant experiences in regional languages and handle more complex queries that are common in mobile use cases in the area. If Siri becomes more reliable and context-aware, the entire Indian Apple ecosystem, comprising iPhones, iPads, and Macs, would greatly benefit. The worldwide shift towards AI has positioned Indian users to benefit from such advancements.
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This collaboration between Apple and Google marks a significant milestone in the advancement of voice technology. With the help of Google's Gemini AI, Apple is poised to deliver the highly anticipated intelligence boost for Siri, positioning it as a genuine rival to the most intelligent digital assistants on the market.
This collaboration, if successful, would set a new standard for AI integration in all devices by combining Apple’s excellent design and Google’s AI expertise. For users, this represents the start of a smarter, more user-friendly Siri experience that could redefine how people interact with their technology every day.
