Apple has officially announced that it is partnering with Google to use Gemini AI as the foundation for the next-generation Siri. The confirmation puts an end to months of speculation around Apple’s AI roadmap and signals a major leap in intelligence, personalization, and conversational capability for Siri.
The new Siri experience will roll out with the iOS 26.4 update, expected in March or April, and will be limited to Apple Intelligence-supported devices.
Google Gemini AI to power Apple foundation models
In a statement shared with CNBC, Apple explained why it selected Google’s AI stack over other options:
“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.”
Shortly after, Google publicly confirmed the collaboration on X, stating that Apple Foundation Models will be based on Google’s Gemini models and cloud technology. According to Google, this partnership will directly power future Apple Intelligence features, including a more personalized Siri arriving later this year.
What Gemini AI means for Siri’s capabilities
With Gemini AI at its core, Siri is expected to undergo its biggest upgrade ever. The assistant will be able to:
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Handle more natural, multi-turn conversations
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Understand context and user intent more accurately
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Deliver faster and more relevant responses
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Provide deeper personalization across apps and services
This move addresses one of Apple’s longest-standing criticisms: Siri lagging behind competitors in conversational AI and contextual understanding.
Gemini AI could expand across Apple intelligence features
Google’s wording strongly suggests that Gemini will go beyond Siri alone. Apple may leverage Gemini’s multimodal AI capabilities across other Apple Intelligence tools, including:
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Writing Tools
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Image Playground
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Message summaries
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Smart content generation across apps
If implemented broadly, Gemini could become a core engine behind Apple’s entire AI ecosystem, not just voice assistance.
iOS 26.4 update: Release timeline and device support
The next-gen Siri powered by Gemini AI will arrive with iOS 26.4, expected to launch in March-April. However, access will be restricted to devices that support Apple Intelligence, meaning older iPhones and iPads may not receive the update.
Apple has yet to release a full compatibility list.
Elon Musk criticizes Apple-Google AI partnership
The announcement also drew criticism from Elon Musk, CEO of xAI. Responding to Google’s post on X, Musk stated:
“This seems like an unreasonable concentration of power for Google, given that they also have Android and Chrome.”
While neither Apple nor Google has responded to Musk’s remarks, the comment highlights growing concerns around AI consolidation among big tech firms.
It’s also worth noting that Musk’s company xAI, creator of Grok, is currently facing backlash over controversial image generation issues, drawing scrutiny from regulators and media outlets.
Why Apple chose Gemini over other AI models
Apple’s decision comes after failed acquisition talks with Perplexity and internal challenges in scaling its own large language models fast enough. By partnering with Google, Apple gains:
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Proven cloud-scale AI infrastructure
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Advanced multimodal AI models
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Faster rollout of competitive AI features
This allows Apple to stay competitive in the AI race while maintaining control over user experience and privacy at the system level.
Apple’s partnership with Google to integrate Gemini AI into Siri marks a pivotal shift in its AI strategy. If executed well, this could finally transform Siri into a truly intelligent, conversational assistant and position Apple Intelligence as a serious contender against rivals like ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini itself.
The iOS 26.4 update may end up being one of the most important software releases in Apple’s history—not because of design changes, but because of intelligence.
