Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple is exploring a potential collaboration with Google, aiming to integrate the Gemini artificial intelligence engine into the iPhone. This revelation comes alongside discussions with OpenAI, the developer behind ChatGPT, indicating Apple’s pursuit of enhancing its AI capabilities.
The partnership, if materialized, marks a significant shift in the dynamics of the AI industry. Apple and Google, already engaged in a search partnership, are now contemplating leveraging Gemini’s capabilities, potentially affecting billions of iPhone users. However, it also raises questions about Apple’s progress in developing its AI alternatives and may draw additional scrutiny from antitrust regulators.
While Apple is gearing up to unveil new AI-driven features within iOS 18, focusing on on-device functionalities, it seeks external partnerships for cloud-based services. Reports suggest Apple had internally tested its own language model dubbed Ajax, along with a basic chatbot named Apple GPT, but deemed them inferior to competitors’ offerings, making collaboration a pragmatic choice.
Gemini, Google’s AI engine, faced controversy after generating racially biased queries, prompting Google CEO Sundar Pichai to condemn such actions and suspend image generation functionalities. Nonetheless, the allure of integrating Gemini’s capabilities into Apple’s ecosystem remains potent, especially considering CEO Tim Cook’s pledge to announce significant advancements in AI this year.
For Apple, adopting external AI features may also mitigate potential liabilities, as noted by Gurman. Negotiations between Apple and Google are ongoing, with the terms, branding, and implementation details yet to be finalized. However, if realized, this collaboration could redefine the landscape of AI integration in consumer technology.