Apple to use Google's Gemini AI to overhaul Siri and Apple Intelligence
Apple confirmed a multi-year partnership with Google to power a redesigned Siri launching this year, using Gemini technology on Apple's private cloud servers.
January 12, 2026
Apple announced Monday that it will use Google's Gemini artificial intelligence model to power a major upgrade to Siri and expand Apple Intelligence features, marking a significant partnership between the two technology companies.
The multi-year agreement will leverage Google's Gemini technology and cloud infrastructure to support Apple's foundational AI models. "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," Apple and Google said in a joint statement obtained by CNBC.
The redesigned Siri, which will include more personalized capabilities, is expected to launch later this year. The AI models will continue to run on Apple devices and the company's private cloud compute infrastructure, the companies said. Apple declined to disclose the financial terms of the deal, though Bloomberg previously reported the company was planning to pay approximately $1 billion.
The announcement confirms reports from November that suggested Apple was exploring partnerships with Google to accelerate its AI capabilities. According to sources, developing comparable technology independently would have required significantly more time for Apple.
The deal comes as Alphabet, Google's parent company, reached a $4 trillion valuation for the first time on Monday, surpassing Apple to become the second-most valuable company in the world. Alphabet became the fourth company to achieve the $4 trillion milestone, following Nvidia, Microsoft, and Apple. The stock price increase followed the announcement of the Apple partnership.
Separately, Google announced expansion of shopping capabilities within its AI products. The company unveiled the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), an open standard developed with major retailers including Shopify, Walmart, Target, Wayfair, and Etsy. The protocol is designed to enable AI agents to facilitate shopping transactions, from product discovery through payment and post-purchase support, allowing customers to complete purchases directly within Gemini without leaving the chat interface.
Google announced the shopping initiative at the National Retail Federation's annual conference in New York, where approximately 40,000 retail and technology industry participants gathered. Walmart President and CEO John Furner stated that the shift from traditional web and app-based shopping to agent-guided commerce represents the next major evolution in retail.