Apple’s long-promised Siri upgrade may not be fully homegrown.
A Bloomberg report says the iPhone maker is leaning on Google’s Gemini AI to power a new “World Knowledge Answers” feature — an AI-driven search that could bring Siri closer to OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Perplexity.
Key Takeaways
- Apple testing Google Gemini AI for Siri’s search summaries.
- New “World Knowledge Answers” feature could rival ChatGPT.
- Siri upgrade expected with iOS 26.4, possibly in March 2026.
- Apple weighing Anthropic’s Claude for AI planning tasks.
- Move highlights Apple’s struggle to match AI search rivals.
Apple is testing Google’s Gemini AI to power a new Siri feature called “World Knowledge Answers,” Bloomberg reports. The tool will generate summaries from web searches, including text, images, and videos. Apple plans to debut the AI-upgraded Siri in iOS 26.4, expected as early as March 2026.
Apple Turns to Google for Siri’s Next Big Leap
Apple’s long-awaited AI push for Siri may arrive sooner than expected — but it won’t be a solo effort. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the company has entered into a formal testing agreement with Google to integrate its Gemini AI into Siri’s upcoming search and summarization features.
Inside “World Knowledge Answers”
At the heart of this update is a new capability internally dubbed World Knowledge Answers. The feature would allow Siri to pull information from the web and package it into short, conversational summaries. Users could receive not only text but also relevant photos, videos, and points of interest.
This places Siri in direct competition with AI-powered search challengers like Perplexity, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, and Google’s own Search Generative Experience.
Why Apple Needs Google’s Help
Apple has long been criticized for lagging behind in AI development compared with Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI. While the company is developing its own models to analyze on-device data, Bloomberg reports Apple is still evaluating third-party AI engines for tasks like reasoning and summarization.
Google’s Gemini, with its multimodal capabilities, currently leads the race to supply the backbone for Siri’s web-search answers. Anthropic’s Claude is also reportedly being considered for Siri’s planning module.
Timeline and What to Expect
Apple is preparing to unveil its iPhone 17 lineup next week, but the AI-powered Siri upgrade isn’t expected immediately. Instead, insiders say the redesigned Siri will debut with iOS 26.4 in March 2026.
That timeline reflects Apple’s cautious approach: using its own AI for sensitive user data while outsourcing broader knowledge tasks to external providers.
Expert Insights: The Stakes for Apple
Analysts say the decision underscores Apple’s pragmatic strategy. “Apple wants Siri to feel more capable without the risk of hallucinations undermining trust,” one industry observer noted. By testing with Google’s Gemini, Apple could accelerate rollout while maintaining its walled-garden approach to user data.
The challenge? Balancing privacy — a core Apple brand promise — with the need for competitive AI performance.
The Bigger Picture
If successful, Siri’s new AI search could mark the first time Apple leans so visibly on a rival’s AI for a consumer-facing product. For users, the payoff could be a voice assistant that’s finally capable of answering everyday knowledge questions with context and clarity.
But it also signals a shifting balance in big tech: even Apple, with its deep resources, may not be able to keep pace in AI development without tapping rivals’ breakthroughs.
Conclusion
Apple’s rumored AI upgrade for Siri could transform how millions of people use their iPhones — but it might also highlight Apple’s reliance on competitors like Google to stay in the AI race. The next few months will show whether Siri 2.0 is the assistant Apple fans have been waiting for.