After months of speculation, Apple finally confirmed that it is partnering with Google for the much-awaited Siri overhaul. However, the announcement offered few details, only noting that the upgraded Siri will rely on Gemini as its foundation and that the AI features “will continue to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute, while maintaining Apple’s industry-leading privacy standards.” A new report has now revealed additional details about what this partnership might entail.
According to The Information (via 9to5Mac), Apple will use Google’s Gemini models to train the next-gen Apple Foundation Models and will have the option to tailor the Gemini model to respond in ways it prefers. The report adds that Apple’s Gemini-based system may not contain any Google branding, as a person involved in the project has confirmed that the current prototype doesn’t mention Google or Gemini in its responses.
The Information further notes that Apple intends the Gemini-powered Siri to offer richer responses to user queries, instead of listing links, and to be better at providing emotional support. This has historically been an area where Siri has struggled, but the new version “will give more thorough conversational responses the way ChatGPT and Gemini do.”
Apple’s Siri revamp may roll out in stages starting this spring
Lastly, the report sheds some light on the release timeline for the upgraded Siri and Gemini-powered Apple Intelligence features. It states that some features will go live this spring, while others, such as Siri’s ability to remember past conversations or proactive suggestions like prompting users to leave early to avoid traffic for an airport pickup listed on their Apple Calendar, are expected to be announced at WWDC in June.
Apple has yet to share a detailed release schedule for the the Siri overhaul. More information is expected in the coming months, as the company prepares to unveil its next round of software updates.