Apple’s long-delayed Siri upgrade may end up powered by Google Gemini, marking a dramatic shift in strategy for a company known for going solo. According to Bloomberg, Apple has already struck a deal to test Gemini’s AI inside Siri, hinting that its in-house models aren’t yet strong enough to keep up.
Siri upgrade delay opens door to Google partnership
The Siri upgrade was initially expected sooner, but Apple has now pushed it to 2026. Internally, teams are still debating whether their homegrown AI tools can match what OpenAI, Perplexity, and Google have already deployed.
Facing that uncertainty, Apple reportedly turned to Google’s Gemini to test its capabilities within Siri. If the integration succeeds, it may expand beyond Siri to other iPhone features like Spotlight and Safari.
xAI’s CFO Mike Liberatore has exited the company after just three months, adding to a growing list of executive departures.
Gemini could reshape how Siri upgrade works
Spotlight once seemed like Apple’s quiet answer to Google search. It lets iPhone users pull up quick facts, celebrity bios, and app shortcuts all without opening a browser. Now, AI chatbots have raised the bar.
The new Siri upgrade, powered by Gemini, may bring in:
- Multimedia results (text, images, video)
- Local suggestions and business info
- Smart summaries of websites or articles
- Personal context from calendar, contacts, and more
- Seamless voice interaction to control apps and settings
This revamped experience is designed to compete with more advanced AI assistants already in circulation.
This upgrade shows Apple isn’t going solo
Apple has long pushed its own chips from chips to software, but this Siri upgrade could mark a turning point. Even the most locked-down ecosystem can’t ignore the pace of AI development elsewhere.
If Gemini does power Siri, Apple’s message is clear: the assistant needs to evolve, even if that means inviting Google in for the ride.
Waiting for 2026 might feel like forever, but the AI wars won’t wait.
