Apple picks Google to make Siri so much better – we hope

If there’s one thing Apple is languishing at right now and for some considerable time – it’s AI. They announced a huge amount of changes at WWDC 2024, and had to concede they were well behind at WWDC 2025, so what now?

For a company renowned for long press releases and detailed briefings, this one was simple and to the point – in the form of a “Joint Statement from Google and Apple” which read like this:

Apple and Google have entered into a multi-year collaboration under which the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be based on Google’s Gemini models and cloud technology. These models will help power future Apple Intelligence features, including a more personalized Siri coming this year.

After careful evaluation, Apple determined that Google’s Al technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models and is excited about the innovative new experiences it will unlock for Apple users. Apple Intelligence will continue to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute, while maintaining Apple’s industry-leading privacy standards.

Is this a concession, a sign of defeat within Apple on the global AI race?

Many would, and are arguing this. But I think perhaps it’s a sign of Apple leaning into what it knows and does best – the user interface.

You see, Apple isn’t going to put Google’s Gemini AI assistant on your phone like Samsung did, instead they are going to take the brains and knowledge of Gemini, and store it in their own back end systems so that when an Apple user makes AI requests, that power and knowledge is drawn apon – but Google’s AI Cloud isn’t touched.

Apple’s “version” of AI will still run on your Apple device, or, if needed, using “Private Cloud Compute” – the secure enclave intended to add processing power to your requests when your device can’t handle it.

What this should mean is that our Siri requests become far more personal, natural and a whole lot less “here’s what I found on the web” kinda deal.

Asking Siri to do something on your device, within your data set like calendars or email – should be a breeze.

How the wider internet links into this we don’t know – but given it’s happening in a private environment, you can assume that “current knowledge” will be limited. Perhaps sports scores will be ok- given Apple has that knowledge, but news might be a push.

Whatever the case, this is – in some part, a concession from Apple that they couldn’t build something as powerful as Google already has, so why try.

For the absolute average user though, this is the ideal outcome for Apple – smarts and knowledge – tick. Users don’t need to know how it happened, just be pleased it did.

The only indication of timing here is the reference to “a more personalised Siri coming this year”. When? We don’t know – but it better be soon, or there will be more questions asked of Apple’s executive team who have already done the mea culpa tour of the media last June.