What happened
Apple is finalising an agreement to integrate Google's Gemini AI model into Siri, with an anticipated launch next spring. This partnership entails an annual payment of approximately $1 billion from Apple to Google. The Gemini model, featuring 1.2 trillion parameters, will power key Siri functions such as summarisation and planning, significantly expanding Siri's current capabilities. Apple intends this integration as an interim measure while it develops proprietary advanced AI models, having previously evaluated offerings from OpenAI and Anthropic.
Why it matters
The integration of Google's Gemini AI into Siri introduces a significant third-party dependency for core intelligent functionalities like summarisation and planning. This arrangement increases the oversight burden for IT security and compliance teams, who must now ensure Google's data processing aligns with Apple's privacy policies and regulatory requirements. Procurement and platform operators face heightened due diligence requirements regarding vendor management and the eventual transition to Apple's proprietary AI, creating a potential control gap over critical user data processing.
