Apple pulled back the curtain on its highly anticipated third-generation foundation models at WWDC 2026, introducing a completely rebuilt Siri AI and signaling a major pivot in the company’s artificial intelligence strategy. The new Siri, set for beta release later this year, is powered by a blend of Apple’s proprietary tech and Google’s Gemini models—marking a rare and high-profile collaboration between two of tech’s fiercest rivals.
Apple and Google Join Forces for Siri AI
On Monday at Apple Park, Apple’s senior software engineering VP Craig Federighi confirmed that while the new Siri doesn’t run Google’s assistant, it does rely on Google’s Gemini family for the foundation of its Apple Intelligence experiences. Nvidia also joins the mix as a new Apple Intelligence partner. This collaboration is visible under the hood: Apple’s updated Private Cloud Compute (PPC) now extends to Google and Nvidia, allowing Apple to run models too large for on-device processing while preserving its signature privacy structure.
Siri’s overhaul is long overdue—years of underwhelming performance left users wanting more. Now, the assistant can finally sustain genuine multi-turn conversations, pull information from your mail, messages, photo library, and even field live queries from the web. For parents, it’s a long-awaited relief: the new Siri can scan an email or a messy flyer and instantly add every soccer game or “spirit week” event to the calendar in one shot.
Feature Rollout and Global Availability
There’s a catch, though. The initial Siri AI beta, launching later this year, will support English only and will be available mainly in the US, UK, and Canada. China is off the table entirely due to unresolved regulatory issues, and EU users won’t see the new Siri on iPhone or iPad at launch. Instead, Apple says EU access will be limited to macOS 27 and visionOS 27 at first, with a broader rollout still in the works.
Despite these limitations, the shift is significant. Apple is giving Siri its own dedicated app, with system-wide integration and real-time activity displayed in the iPhone’s Dynamic Island. While Google’s Gemini has boasted similar capabilities on Android for over a year, Apple’s flavor of Siri AI blends on-device contextual awareness with cloud-powered intelligence—a crucial step, even if it’s a bit “baby’s first AI assistant” compared to some rivals.
Apple’s bet on collaboration with Google and Nvidia is a telling sign that the future of AI assistants is as much about cross-company synergy as it is about solo innovation. For now, iPhone users eager for a smarter assistant will have to wait just a little longer—unless they’re in China or the EU, where patience is still the order of the day.
