Apple Explores Google Partnership for Revamped Siri with Gemini AI
Apple is reportedly in negotiations with Google to license its innovative Gemini AI models, aiming to enhance its long-awaited overhaul of Siri. This potential alliance marks a significant shift for Apple, a company that has traditionally favored developing its core technologies independently.
By now, you may be familiar with Apple’s ongoing challenges in delivering an ambitious update to Siri that leverages generative AI capabilities. Initially, this revamped assistant was scheduled for a spring launch; however, its release has been postponed by a year due to ongoing engineering hurdles.
Challenges in Integrating Modern AI Models
One of the primary obstacles lies in the complexities of integrating Siri’s outdated and cumbersome codebase with contemporary large language models. This challenge is further compounded by the loss of key AI talent, such as Ruoming Pang, the chief architect of Apple’s AI models team, who recently departed to join Meta with a lucrative package reportedly worth $200 million.
As reported by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, should the collaboration with Google come to fruition, the customized AI model could be trained to operate on Apple’s servers, thereby enhancing user privacy.
In the case of a Siri partnership, third-party models would run on Apple’s Private Cloud Compute servers, which use Mac chips for remote AI processing. That means the external Siri models wouldn’t run on devices themselves.
Internal Development: Two Distinct Versions of Siri
Within Apple, there is a divide over the strategy of utilizing an outside partner versus developing the technology in-house. To address this, the company is working on two distinct versions of the assistant: the internal project, designated as Linwood, and the partner-based alternative, referred to as Glenwood. This internal “bake-off” approach allows Apple to evaluate its development progress against competitor offerings.
Previous Collaborations Explored
Before initiating discussions with Google, Apple had also engaged with AI firms like Anthropic and OpenAI to consider licensing their models, such as Claude or ChatGPT. Although Apple executives showed a preference for Anthropic’s Claude model following internal evaluations, negotiations faltered over financial terms. The AI startup is reported to have sought a substantial multi-billion-dollar annual fee, which Apple deemed excessive.
As Apple navigates the competitive landscape of AI integration, the outcome of these discussions and the direction taken with Siri could significantly influence its standing in the ever-evolving technology market.
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