CNET·2026-01-12 19:21Core Insights - Apple has selected Google's Gemini to enhance Siri, with the new version expected to launch later this year, marking a significant partnership between the two tech giants [1][2] - Apple will reportedly pay Google $1 billion annually for the use of Gemini, which has been noted for its strong performance compared to OpenAI's ChatGPT [1][4] - The collaboration aims to provide innovative experiences for Apple users while maintaining Apple's privacy standards, as Siri will continue to operate on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute [2] Company Strategies - Apple has been lagging in the AI sector and opted to collaborate with Google rather than developing its own foundational models, which have faced challenges [4] - The partnership with Google is seen as a strategic move to improve Siri's capabilities, which have not met expectations in the past [4] - The financial relationship between Apple and Google is further solidified, as Google previously paid Apple $20 billion in 2022 to keep Google Search as the default on Apple devices, indicating a flow of funds back to Google for Siri's enhancement [5]