Apple and Google have entered into a landmark multi-year partnership, officially announced on Monday, January 12, 2026, which will see Google's Gemini models and cloud technology integrated to power the next generation of Apple Intelligence features, including a significantly enhanced Siri. This collaboration marks a crucial strategic move for Apple, which has been under pressure to advance its artificial intelligence capabilities amidst fierce competition. The improved Siri, along with other advanced AI functionalities, is anticipated to roll out later in 2026. Under the terms of the agreement, Google's Gemini will serve as the foundational platform for Apple's future AI models. Apple stated that after careful evaluation, it determined Google's technology provided "the most capable foundation" for its AI ambitions, promising innovative new experiences for its users. Despite leveraging Google's AI, Apple has emphasized its commitment to user privacy, asserting that Apple Intelligence will continue to run on Apple devices and its Private Cloud Compute infrastructure, maintaining industry-leading privacy standards. While the financial specifics of the deal were not disclosed, earlier reports had suggested Apple might pay Google around $1 billion annually for AI access, though this remains unconfirmed. This partnership deepens the existing lucrative alliance between the two tech giants, which already includes Google being the default search engine on Apple devices. The announcement has been widely viewed as a significant validation for Google in the AI race, bolstering its position against rivals like OpenAI. Notably, Apple also maintains an existing partnership with OpenAI for ChatGPT integration within Siri and Apple Intelligence and has stated no major changes are being made to that agreement at this time. The news sparked considerable market interest, with Google-parent Alphabet's market valuation surpassing $4 trillion following the announcement. Tesla CEO Elon Musk criticized the deal, calling it an "unreasonable concentration of power for Google" due to its existing dominance with Android and Chrome.