Apple Inc. is reportedly in the final stages of sealing a landmark partnership with Alphabet Inc., the parent company of Google, that would see Apple pay around US$1 billion annually to license Google’s 1.2-trillion-parameter AI model for use in a revamped version of its digital assistant, Siri. Sources familiar with the discussions revealed that the deal could be officially announced ahead of Apple’s 2026 product lineup.
A Historic Collaboration Between Tech Rivals
If finalized, the agreement would represent one of the most significant collaborations between two of the world’s biggest tech competitors. It underscores Apple’s growing urgency to catch up in the generative AI race, where companies like OpenAI, Google, and Amazon have made major advances in conversational and multimodal AI capabilities.
The partnership would see Google’s massive AI model integrated into Apple’s on-device and cloud-based AI infrastructure. This combination aims to leverage Google’s unmatched scale in machine learning while maintaining Apple’s hallmark focus on privacy, security, and user control.
A Smarter, More Conversational Siri
The upgraded version of Siri is expected to deliver context-aware, conversational, and multimodal abilities, significantly improving how users interact with their devices. The model’s integration would enable Siri to understand natural language more fluidly, process complex reasoning tasks, and handle image, audio, and text inputs with higher accuracy.
Industry analysts suggest that the move could transform Siri from a basic voice assistant into a deeply intelligent, adaptive AI companion, positioning Apple to compete directly with the latest versions of OpenAI’s GPT models and Amazon’s Alexa AI system.
Analysts See a Strategic Turning Point
“This partnership would mark a turning point for Siri, transforming it from a simple command-based assistant into a full-fledged AI companion capable of reasoning and learning,” said one industry expert. The collaboration is also seen as a way for Apple to accelerate its rollout of next-generation AI features across the iPhone, iPad, and Mac ecosystem.
For Google, the deal could further cement its dominance in large-scale AI model development, while giving the company a significant recurring revenue stream and strategic integration within Apple’s hardware ecosystem — one of the most valuable consumer tech networks globally.
Awaiting Official Confirmation
As of now, neither Apple nor Alphabet has issued official statements regarding the reported partnership. However, multiple reports suggest that both companies are in the final negotiation phase, with an official announcement expected in the coming months.
If completed, the collaboration could reshape the competitive dynamics of the AI assistant market, potentially ushering in a new era of intelligent, privacy-focused AI integration across consumer devices. The revamped Siri would mark Apple’s boldest step yet in reclaiming leadership within the global AI race.
