Apple is exploring a bold new direction for its voice assistant, Siri. In early discussions with Google, Apple is considering the use of Google’s Gemini AI to underpin a major overhaul of Siri. This potential shift would mark a clear departure from Apple’s traditional reliance on internal technologies.
While internal teams are actively developing their own advanced AI models, code‑named Linwood, Apple is also testing an alternative—Glenwood—that would use external AI systems. The Gemini integration under consideration would be custom‑built to run on Apple’s private cloud infrastructure, balancing advanced capabilities with Apple’s privacy standards.
These conversations come amid growing pressure on Apple to close the gap in generative AI, especially as competitors like Google and Samsung have already woven their own assistants into their devices more seamlessly. Apple’s long‑delayed plans for a Siri makeover—meant to introduce richer context understanding and hands‑free control—were pushed back by engineering setbacks. Now, using Gemini could accelerate the timeline.
Behind the scenes, top executives—led by Craig Federighi and the Vision Pro lead, Mike Rockwell—are spearheading this effort. Apple still has weeks to decide between internally developed AI and third‑party solutions, with options including Google’s Gemini, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, or Anthropic’s Claude. No final call has been made yet.
If the Gemini partnership moves forward, it could debut in time for next year’s release schedule, offering a more capable, conversational, and intelligent Siri experience—one that better aligns with user expectations and industry trends.
