Apple in Talks to License Google Gemini AI [Report]

Apple is in talks with Google to license its Gemini AI technology for integration into iPhone, according to new report from Bloomberg.

The two companies are in active negotiations to let Apple license Gemini, Google's set of generative AI models, to power some new features coming to the iPhone software this year, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the deliberations are private. Apple also recently held discussions with OpenAI and has considered using its model, according to the people.

While a deal is not certain, the discussions could indicate that Apple is not as far along in its AI efforts as perhaps it should be. The company has promised new AI driven capabilities in iOS 18; however, those are purportedly focused on features that operate on device, rather than ones delivered via the cloud. It's suggested that Apple may be seeking a partner to handle some of the heavy lifting while it continues to develop internal capabilities.


Bloomberg says Apple has been testing its own large language model, codenamed Ajax, as well as, a basic chatbot dubbed Apple GPT. However, the company's technology is currently inferior to those offered by Google and OpenAI.

Notably, the companies haven't decided on terms, branding, or implementation. Google and Apple already have a search deal that sees Google paying Apple billions of dollars annually to be the default search engine in Safari; however, that agreement has already drawn the ire of regulators and an AI deal could lead to further antitrust inquiries.

We're expecting Apple to unveil iOS 18 at WWDC 2024 in June and we could learn more about a potential partnership at that time. Please download the iClarified app or follow iClarified on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and RSS for updates.