Apple Picks Google Gemini to Power Siri — The Deal Reshaping the AI Industry

Apple is replacing OpenAI as Siri's backend with Google's Gemini in a deal worth roughly $1 billion per year. The integration runs on a 1.2-trillion-parameter model through Apple's Private Cloud Compute — not Google's servers. Phase 1 is rolling out now in iOS 26.5. The full conversational Siri arrives in iOS 27 this September. But the DOJ says the deal may violate the remedies from Google's search monopoly case. This guide covers how it works technically, what Apple's privacy protections actually do, what the antitrust risk looks like, and what it means for every other AI company.