Apple in talks to put Google Gemini on iPhones

Apple might be about to pull off the ultimate pragmatist move in AI.

According to a report from Bloomberg, Apple is in active talks with Google to license its Gemini AI models to power new generative features coming to the iPhone later this year. The report also notes that Apple recently held talks with OpenAI about potentially using its GPT models.

Pressure has been mounting on Cupertino to show its AI hand. While rivals like Microsoft, Google, and Anthropic have been shipping products at breakneck speed, Apple CEO Tim Cook only teased in February that generative AI features were coming "later this year."

Siri stays local, Gemini takes the cloud

Job listings over the past year made it obvious that Apple has been building its own internal and consumer-facing AI models.

With iOS 18 expected to take center stage at WWDC in June, word is that Apple plans to deploy its own in-house models for on-device processing. These would handle lighter, privacy-first tasks right on the silicon.

However, for heavy-duty cloud tasks like generating images or assisting with complex writing, Apple looks ready to outsource. Partnering with a third party is basically an admission that its own proprietary foundation models are trailing behind the frontier.

Google certainly has mobile momentum. It already baked Gemini into its Pixel lineup and partnered with Samsung to power AI features on the Galaxy S24 earlier this year.

Yet, Google comes with baggage. Just last month, the search giant had to pause Gemini's image-generation capabilities after historical inaccuracies sparked widespread backlash, prompting CEO Sundar Pichai to label the outputs "completely unacceptable." Just last week, TechCrunch discovered that users could bypass Gemini's new election query blocks simply by adding typos.

Why it matters

If this deal closes, it looks like a massive tactical retreat for Apple's signature "we do everything in-house" philosophy, but a brilliant move for its timeline.

iPhone users will get access to cutting-edge generative tools without waiting for Apple's slow-moving research to catch up. For Apple, it buys precious time while satisfying Wall Street and preventing an upgrade slowdown.

For Google, this is a colossal win. The company already pays billions annually to be Safari's default search engine; becoming the default intelligence layer across both Android and iOS would cement its dominance over the mobile ecosystem.

That said, we think there are real risks ahead. Gemini's recent hallucinations and guardrail slip-ups could pose serious reputational headaches for an Apple brand built entirely around polish and privacy. Plus, regulators already scrutinizing their search deal will certainly have a field day with an AI monopoly.