Apple has officially entered a multi-year partnership with Google, integrating Google's Gemini models and cloud technology into its "Apple Intelligence" system. This landmark collaboration signals a significant strategic shift in Apple's generative AI endeavors, aiming to power the next generation of Apple Foundation Models and deliver a more advanced, personalized Siri, with new features expected to roll out starting in Spring 2026. The decision follows Apple's "careful evaluation" of various options, concluding that Google's AI technology provides the "most capable foundation" for its needs. This partnership is particularly notable as Apple, traditionally known for its in-house hardware and software development, is now leveraging an external AI provider for core intelligence features, addressing previous criticisms about its perceived slower pace in the generative AI race compared to rivals like Google and OpenAI. While the specific financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed by either company, earlier reports had suggested that Apple could potentially pay Google approximately $1 billion annually for access to its advanced AI technology. This deal significantly expands upon an existing, long-standing relationship between the two tech giants, wherein Google already pays Apple billions of dollars annually to remain the default search engine on Apple devices. Apple has emphasized its commitment to maintaining stringent user privacy standards, asserting that AI processing will occur either on-device or via Apple's Private Cloud Compute infrastructure, thereby preventing Google from directly accessing any user data. The integration is designed such that Gemini models will operate seamlessly and invisibly in the background, enhancing Siri's conversational abilities, factual responses, and capacity for nuanced queries, all without explicit Google or Gemini branding on the user interface. This strategic alliance also raises questions about the long-term future of Apple's existing, optional ChatGPT integration within Apple Intelligence, though Apple has stated that this arrangement remains unchanged for the immediate future. Ultimately, this move strategically positions Google for a potential advantage in the highly competitive AI landscape by securing extensive distribution across Apple's vast ecosystem of over two billion active devices globally. Apple Intelligence itself was initially unveiled on June 10, 2024, at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).