Apple is poised to integrate a 1.2 trillion parameter monster of an AI model from Google directly into its ecosystem, a move set to cost the iPhone maker $1 billion annually. This ultrapowerful version of Google’s Gemini AI is the cornerstone of Apple’s plan to completely overhaul Siri, its famously lagging voice assistant. The deal, which is nearing completion, will provide Apple with the raw AI power it currently lacks, enabling a new generation of features set to debut next year.
This strategic partnership, born of necessity, comes after Apple’s internal efforts failed to produce a model powerful enough to compete with market leaders. After evaluating offerings from OpenAI and Anthropic, Apple’s top executives, including Craig Federighi and Mike Rockwell, chose Gemini as the interim engine. The internal project, “Glenwood,” will leverage this technology for the new Siri, code-named “Linwood” (planned for iOS 26.4), specifically to handle its “summariser” and “planner” components. These functions are critical for understanding and executing complex, multi-part commands.
The scale of this upgrade cannot be overstated. The 1.2 trillion parameter custom Gemini model is a massive leap from the 150-billion parameter model Apple currently uses for its cloud-based AI. This increase in complexity—a measure of the AI’s “knowledge” and processing ability—will vastly expand Siri’s power, allowing it to understand context and process intricate data in ways that have defined competitors like ChatGPT and Google’s own assistant.
To maintain its iron-clad commitment to user privacy, Apple has structured the deal in a unique way. The Google model will not run on Google’s cloud. Instead, it will be deployed on Apple’s own Private Cloud Compute servers, which Apple has already begun allocating for the task. This “walled garden” approach ensures that no user data ever leaves Apple’s control or is visible to Google, a key concession that allows the rivals to collaborate without Apple sacrificing its core values.
This collaboration will not be a public-facing one. Apple will treat Google as a behind-the-scenes technology supplier, not a partner, completely unlike the highly public deal that makes Google the default search engine in Safari. Apple still intends to replace Gemini with its own technology, and its teams are reportedly working on a 1 trillion parameter model. However, they are chasing a moving target, as Google’s own Gemini 2.5 Pro continues to dominate AI leaderboards, making this “temporary” reliance a potentially long-term reality.