Apple · Google, AI voice assistant alliance… Siri powered by "Gemini"

Apple(AAPL) has partnered with Google(GOOGL) to enhance the capabilities of its AI(AI) voice assistant Siri. The two companies announced that they will utilize Google’s next-generation large language model(LLM) “Gemini” to launch a new version of Siri. This collaboration is a multi-year agreement, with Google reportedly charging Apple an annual usage fee of approximately 14.4 trillion Korean won(about $100 billion).

Apple plans to select multiple models from the Gemini series to improve Siri’s performance. The new Siri will support more powerful features, including user-customized responses and cross-application task integration. In particular, complex queries will be handled by high-performance models, while simple commands will be processed by relatively lightweight algorithms, enabling effective operational cost management. Analysts believe this is a strategy aimed at reducing infrastructure costs and maximizing processing efficiency.

The models used in this application are from the Gemini 3 series, offering various options based on performance and price. It is reported that the top-tier “Gemini 3 Pro” version can be up to four times more expensive than the lowest-priced “Flash” model. Considering this price difference, analysts believe Apple is likely to deploy a balanced configuration that considers both appropriate performance and cost, depending on the usage purpose.

Additionally, Apple plans to operate the Gemini models using Google Cloud technology. Therefore, some processing of Gemini will be conducted on Google Cloud infrastructure, while user privacy will be protected using Apple’s proprietary “Private Cloud Compute” technology(. This security architecture, first introduced in 2024, prioritizes user privacy, such as immediately deleting data collected during Siri usage when it is no longer needed. At the same time, this technology blocks access to diagnostic tools used in ordinary data centers, preemptively closing vulnerabilities susceptible to cyberattacks.

Apple’s AI strategy “Apple Intelligence” has previously partnered with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into Siri. This collaboration with Google will not change the integration of ChatGPT, and Apple has stated it will continue to adopt a hybrid AI approach supporting dual models. An Apple spokesperson confirmed to CNBC that existing contracts with OpenAI will also remain in place.

Market reactions were immediate. Following the announcement, Google’s parent company Alphabet)GOOGL('s market capitalization surpassed $4 trillion)approximately 5,760 trillion Korean won(. This makes it the fourth company in the world to join the $4 trillion club, after Apple, NVIDIA)NVDA(, and Microsoft)MSFT(.

This collaboration has attracted significant attention because it demonstrates that Apple, which values user privacy, can introduce external AI technologies while maintaining its own unique security system. Furthermore, Google’s commercialization of its Gemini technology through partnerships with some of the most influential global partners further consolidates market trust. How this strategic cooperation will specifically change the AI ecosystem and future developments remains to be seen.