Although Apple and Google confirmed in an earlier joint statement that they would cooperate in the field of AICollaborationThe Gemini model is to be the cornerstone of Apple's next-generation AI capabilities, but the official statement downplays the technical details. Meanwhile, The Information website released a document...In-depth reportThis reveals many interesting details behind the collaboration, including that Apple will have a high degree of autonomy, and even the answers provided by Siri will not contain any trace of Google.
Although it uses Gemini, it doesn't look like Google at all.
According to The Information, citing sources familiar with the matter, this collaboration is not simply an "API integration." Apple holds significant control in the contract, the most crucial aspect of which is "independent fine-tuning."
This means that although the underlying model is Google's Gemini, Apple can independently fine-tune it and decide how the model should answer user questions. Apple can ask Google to adjust certain parameters, but the final "tone" and "response logic" will be handled by Apple itself.
More importantly, it's about "brand invisibility." In current internal Apple prototype testing, the AI responses driven by Gemini have absolutely no Google or Gemini branding whatsoever, which confirms Bloomberg's previous prediction that Apple wants users to feel like it's still "Siri," rather than "Google Assistant living in the iPhone."
Siri is no longer just "helping you search the web," it can also chat with you about your feelings?
The report indicates that Apple hopes to use Gemini to help Siri overcome its bad habit of "only listing web page links." The future Siri will be able to provide complete answers to questions about global knowledge (such as the population of a country or scientific principles).
Apple appears to be aiming to equip Siri with "emotional support" capabilities. Sources familiar with the matter revealed that Siri previously struggled to handle users expressing feelings of loneliness or frustration, but with the integration of Gemini, Siri will be able to provide more empathetic and comprehensive conversational responses, similar to ChatGPT.
This is undoubtedly a risky move, given numerous cases showing that vulnerable users may become overly reliant on AI chatbots. If the AI develops illusions or misinterprets situations, the consequences could be disastrous. Therefore, how Apple strikes the balance between "thoughtfulness" and "security" will be a key focus of observation going forward.
Hybrid architecture: Do the small things yourself, and handle the big things with Gemini.
Regarding the technical architecture, this report also echoes the challenges mentioned by Apple's software chief, Craig Federighi. Apple's final solution was to seamlessly integrate "traditional Siri" with "LLM Siri," somewhat similar to the collaboration model between Samsung and Google.
• Simple tasks (on-device):Setting timers, creating reminders, and sending simple text messages are still handled by existing technology on Apple devices, ensuring speed and privacy.
• Complex tasks (Cloud/Gemini):When instructions are ambiguous or require reasoning, they are handled by Gemini.
For example, if you ask Siri to "text your mom," but there's no contact named "mom" in your address book, the new Siri can use Gemini to analyze your past messages, infer which contact is most likely your mother, and execute the command. This "reasoning ability" is precisely what Siri lacked in the past.
Schedule: Springtime warm-up, WWDC 2026 will be the real test.
Regarding the release date, which is of utmost concern to everyone, the report reiterates that Apple will adopt a "gradual" update strategy. Some basic features are expected to be released with the iOS update this spring, but more advanced features, such as "Siri remembering past conversations" or "proactively suggesting leaving early to avoid traffic jams," are expected to be officially revealed at the WWDC 2026 developer conference in June.
Analysis of viewpoints
This report clarifies Apple's strategy in this AI gamble: "Leverage existing resources, but never back down."
Apple is well aware that it is temporarily lagging behind in the arms race of large language models. Rather than forcing itself to push a half-baked self-developed model, it would be better to directly buy the most powerful engine (Gemini) and then build the body (fine-tuning and UI) itself.
By "independent fine-tuning" and "hiding the brand," Apple successfully relegated Google to the status of a mere technology supplier, much like Samsung provides display panels for the iPhone. When users use Siri, they experience Apple's experience and its privacy protections (Private Cloud Compute), without realizing that Google's algorithms are running behind the scenes.
If this "invisible AI" strategy succeeds, Apple can quickly address Siri's AI shortcomings without sacrificing brand dominance. However, the risk lies in whether Apple can completely sever ties with Gemini should it malfunction (e.g., by providing biased content). This will be the most delicate part of the contract between the two companies.
