Apple in “Active Conversations” with Google for Gemini AI Integration and Considering ChatGPT
By Jon Porter
Apple is currently in “active conversations” with Google to incorporate its Gemini conceptual AI technology into the iPhone, as reported by Bloomberg. Additionally, Apple has contemplated the utilization of OpenAI’s ChatGPT for its AI features.
CEO Tim Cook has affirmed Apple’s substantial investment in artificial intelligence capabilities, slated for release to customers in the latter half of this year. Bloomberg’s report suggests that Apple’s future products may harness a blend of in-house and external AI models. The upcoming iOS 18 is expected to leverage on-device generative AI models, with potential collaborations with industry players like Google.
Should the negotiations with Google materialize, Apple would join the ranks of companies partnering with Google to enhance AI functionalities in smartphones. Samsung, earlier this year, integrated Google’s AI technology into its Galaxy S24 series, while Google’s AI features prominently in its Pixel 8 lineup. The specifics of how Google’s AI technology might be integrated into Apple’s devices remain undecided.
Apple’s existing agreement with Google, valued at approximately $18 billion annually, designates Google Search as the default search engine on Apple devices. However, such arrangements have faced scrutiny from regulators, with the US Department of Justice accusing Google of leveraging these deals to cement its dominance in the market.
A potential AI collaboration between Apple and Google could expand the reach of Apple’s AI tools across its iPhone lineup. Despite Apple’s assertions of lagging behind in generative AI technology, Bloomberg suggests that Apple’s internal chatbot, Apple GPT, and proprietary language model Ajax are in development, albeit trailing competitors in sophistication.
Any formal announcement regarding the Apple-Google AI partnership is unlikely before WWDC in June, according to Bloomberg’s sources.
