For years, Siri has lagged behind its competitors, a frustrating experience for Apple users accustomed to seamless innovation. Now, a significant shift is underway – a bold move to revitalize the digital assistant with the power of a rival’s technology.
Apple is reportedly on the verge of finalizing a deal with Google, committing to an annual payment of around a billion dollars to leverage Google’s cutting-edge AI. This isn’t a simple integration; it’s a foundational overhaul, built upon a customized version of Google’s Gemini large language model.
The scale of this upgrade is immense. The incoming Gemini model boasts a staggering 1.2 trillion parameters, dwarfing the 150 billion parameters of Apple’s current cloud-based AI. While parameter count isn’t the sole measure of intelligence, it signifies a leap in complexity and potential.
This partnership isn’t envisioned as a permanent solution, but rather a strategic bridge. Apple remains dedicated to developing its own AI capabilities, viewing this collaboration as a temporary measure until its in-house models reach comparable performance levels.
The Gemini model will primarily power Siri’s core functions: understanding user requests and orchestrating the necessary actions. Certain aspects of Siri will still rely on Apple’s existing technology, creating a hybrid system for the initial rollout.
Privacy remains paramount. Apple intends to run the powerful Gemini model on its own secure infrastructure, known as Private Cloud Compute. This ensures that user data remains within Apple’s control, shielded from access by Google or any third party.
The situation in China presents a unique challenge. Due to restrictions on Google’s technology, Siri in China will utilize exclusively Apple-developed models, enhanced with a custom filter to adhere to local government regulations.
The revamped Siri is currently slated for release this spring, anticipated to arrive with the OS 26.4 update, typically released in March. This promises a significant upgrade to a feature that has long been a point of contention for Apple enthusiasts.
Apple’s engineers are already working on a 1 trillion parameter model of their own, aiming for a public release as early as next year. The ambition is clear: to not only match Google’s capabilities but ultimately surpass them, reclaiming full control of Siri’s future.
