Apple may overhaul Siri with a new AI-powered web search tool using technology from Google’s Gemini, according to a new report. The iPhone maker, which has been criticized for falling behind in the AI race, has delayed its long-awaited Siri update until 2026. In the meantime, the company has been working to determine if its own AI models will be sufficient to make an upgraded Siri competitive with current offerings from companies like OpenAI, Perplexity, and Google.
The report claims Apple and Google have reached a formal agreement for Apple to begin testing a Google AI model within Siri. If the testing is successful, this technology could also be implemented in other areas of iPhone software, such as the Safari browser and the Spotlight search feature on the Home Screen.
Spotlight had previously been developing into a potential rival to traditional search by allowing users to get basic answers about popular topics without a web search. However, the rise of AI chatbots now allows consumers to source quick answers on a much wider range of subjects beyond what was available on Wikipedia.
The upgraded search experience is expected to feature an interface that combines text, photos, videos, and local points of interest, along with an AI-powered summarization tool. It will also have the ability to access users’ personal data and allow for device navigation through voice commands.