Apple and Google have teamed up to create an enhanced search service that utilises private data for a more personalised search, hinting at the next chapter of the AI ecosystem.
The unlikely partnership of traditional rivals involves a multiyear deal in which future iPhones using Apple's AI models will be powered by Google's Gemini and cloud technology. It is expected to yield an upgraded Siri this year.
The move is indicative of a growing trust in Google's AI platform, signalling a more aggressive strategy by Apple, and is shaping up to be a game changer for the generative AI experience on one of the biggest technology platforms.
“Apple’s partnership with Google … represents a deep strategic shift,” said Ibrahim Aljarah, a professor at the University of Jordan and chief AI officer at Riyadh's Arrowad Group.
The reported $1 billion that Apple will pay each year for the partnership is also “underscoring the scale of investment in advanced AI capabilities”, he said.
This major investment is believed to make them more competitive with rival platforms by introducing the concept of linking personal sources to refine searches online.
“I see this as an early signal of a broader transformation … the next phase of AI leadership will be defined by control over the operating and integration layer of the AI ecosystem,” said Mr Aljarah.
What is Personal Intelligence?
Google launched Personal Intelligence this week, in Gemini's biggest upgrade. It connects and gets personal data from Gmail, Photos, YouTube and Search – among the most used services worldwide – to provide more context for user queries.
It has “two core strengths”: reasoning across complex sources, and retrieving specific details from sources such as emails or photos to answer queries, using text, photos and video to provide “uniquely tailored answers”.
That sounds like a challenge to Apple Intelligence. But nevertheless, Google's Gemini will be boosting Apple's AI models, and those are set to be rolled out this year, presumably alongside what is expected to be iOS 27 on the next iPhones.
Why did Apple choose Google?
Apple already has its own Apple Intelligence platform and forged a partnership with ChatGPT OpenAI last year in its bid to ramp up its AI game.
According to its statement, Apple said it settled with Google “after careful evaluation”, as it is the “most capable” for Apple's foundation models.
That will also put Apple on the same footing as rival Samsung Electronics, which has a long-standing partnership with Google's AI system and was among the first to bring Google's new AI features to its users through Galaxy AI.
Thomas Husson, a vice president and principal analyst at US research firm Forrester, said that while Apple and Google compete directly in the smartphone and mobile OS space, they have also had a years-long strategic partnership.
However, he sees this as “interim step” and watchers will wait for how Apple will “truly differentiate and execute its Apple Intelligence strategy”.
Nevertheless, the move “validates Google's foundation model and is a big distribution win for Gemini”, he said.
Industry estimates show that there were about 1.5 billion active iPhones globally in 2025. Couple that with the Gemini app nearing a billion users per month, more than three quarters of Google Cloud customers using its AI and over 13 million developers building with Gemini GenAI models, and this is an “unprecedented scale and a flywheel effect for Google”, according to Counterpoint Research.
Going for the best
Prof Aljarah said Apple's decision wasn't “random”, owing to Google's expertise and rise in the AI space, posing as a serious challenger to OpenAI.
Neil Shah, a co-founder at Hong Kong-based Counterpoint, furthers this by pointing out that Apple's supply chain partners are “the best” in their respective industries.
Among them are Samsung and LG for OLEDs, Sony for cameras, Micron, Samsung and SK Hynix for memory, TSMC for fabrication, Qualcomm for modems, Foxconn for electronics manufacturing services and, of course, Google for search, being the default service on Apple's Safari web browser.
“Apple goes for the best in the industry. No compromise,” Mr Shah said.
Privacy issue
Apple and Google have consistently said user data remains private and safe within their respective systems, touting on-device processing and an endless parade of privacy safeguards.
But AI still has issues involving data privacy and lack of regulation – not to mention being prone to errors and inaccuracies, bias and explicit content.
Concern remains over how data is used and shared, and compliance to rules such as those under the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), said Akshata Namjoshi, an equity partner at Karm Legal in Abu Dhabi, who specialises in tech and privacy laws.
“I'm sort of in between; the partnership will give a good option to users … but I do think there are some areas which need more discussions,” she told The National.
“It is worthwhile to note that, ultimately, with this engagement between Google and Apple, essentially what users are going to get is just AI-derived insights.”
The deal might also invite regulatory scrutiny – and the brunt of any debate would fall more on Google, as the side more involved in AI, in addition to potentially bringing another market dominance issue upon the company.
“Google already holds dominant or near-dominant positions across multiple critical digital layers,” said Mohamed Alkooheji, a senior corporate affairs specialist at Bahrain National Holding. “By supplying core AI intelligence to Apple, Google could be perceived as extending influence across both mobile platforms, even if indirectly.”
He added: “Notably, Apple’s legal exposure is comparatively limited. Apple is not dominant in AI foundation models and has emphasised architectural control, replaceability and optionality, all factors that mitigate antitrust risk.
“Google, by contrast, carries the cumulative weight of its existing dominance into this relationship.”
