Apple is in talks to build Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence (AI) engine into its future smartphones, Bloomberg reports, citing people familiar with the matter. The move is expected to help both companies take on OpenAI and Microsoft, especially in the iPhone maker’s case where it has been criticised as lagging behind its major competitors in terms of AI development.
According to Bloomberg, Gemini could act as the cloud-based generative AI engine for Siri and other apps, while Apple’s own models could be integrated into the upcoming iOS 18 for on-device AI tasks. It adds that the terms or branding of an AI agreement or how it would be implemented on the brand’s products have not been decided just yet.
CEO Tim Cook reportedly told investors last month that Apple’s own take on generative AI will make its way to customers later this year. It is expected that first glimpses of the feature will make an appearance during WWDC 2024 that’s slated to happen in June.
There’s also a possibility that Apple could partner with another AI outfit to power other features provided by various in-house operating systems. Interestingly, Bloomberg also noted in the same report that Apple has held talks with OpenAI about using its own models.
Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that the publication last year reported that Apple is allegedly creating its own chatbot, dubbed as “Ajax”, which is based on Google’s JAX framework. However, it is quite likely that the first-party AI model will require several more years of development in order to match the likes of Gemini and ChatGPT, hence why the company is resorting to partnerships for the time being.
(Source: Bloomberg)
