KATHMANDU, Nov 6: Apple is planning to use a 1.2 trillion-parameter artificial intelligence (AI) model developed by Google to power a revamped version of its Siri voice assistant, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday.
The iPhone maker will use Google’s Gemini model as a stopgap measure until its own systems are ready, Bloomberg reported. The model’s 1.2 trillion parameters—a measure of AI model complexity—would far exceed the capabilities of Apple’s current systems.
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According to the report, Apple and Google are finalizing a deal under which Apple would pay about $1 billion annually for access to Google’s AI technology. The Gemini model will serve as a temporary solution until Apple’s own AI systems are complete, Bloomberg News said.
The Gemini model, with its 1.2 trillion parameters—a key measure of AI model complexity—significantly outperforms Apple’s existing systems. Siri has long lagged behind Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant in managing complex, multi-step tasks and integrating with third-party apps.
According to Bloomberg News, the partnership is separate from earlier talks about embedding Google’s Gemini directly into Siri as a chatbot. It will also not integrate Google’s AI search into Apple’s operating systems.
In March, Apple announced that AI-related upgrades to Siri had been delayed until 2026, without providing a reason for the setback. Meanwhile, rivals such as Google and Amazon have been racing to enhance their voice assistants with AI capabilities—Google added Gemini to its assistant last year, while Amazon rolled out an AI-powered version of Alexa earlier this year.
Bloomberg News also reported in March that Apple had reshuffled its AI leadership, with Mike Rockwell taking charge of Siri after CEO Tim Cook lost confidence in former AI head John Giannandrea’s ability to deliver on product development.
