Apple is reportedly in discussions with Google over the prospect of bringing Google’s Gemini AI engine to iPhone.
Reported by Mark Gurman for Bloomberg, a “blockbuster agreement that would shake up the AI industry,” is said to be in the works. Gurman reports that the two companies are in “active negotiations to let Apple license Gemini, Google’s set of generative AI models.”
We’ve heard rumors of iOS 18 receiving a major AI boost ahead of its reveal later this year, but with Google on side, the iPhone’s AI capabilities could take the best iPhones including iPhone 16, to the next level. Apple has also reportedly held discussions with OpenAI and is also considering that model as a potential engine.
Apple and Google already have a strong partnership in place with the search agreement that has made Google the default search engine on Safari for years. Gurman notes that his sources have said that no decisions have been made on terms or branding for any AI agreement as of yet, so there’s still a long way to go before the signing of a landmark deal.
iOS 18’s AI capabilities
iOS 18 is set to arrive at some point in the fall alongside the release of the iPhone 16, and we’ve heard a lot about Apple making its move into the AI race before competitors like Samsung and (ironically) Google get too far ahead. Gurman notes the enhancements in iOS 18 will be “focused on features that operate on its devices, rather than ones delivered via the cloud. So Apple is seeking a partner to do the heavy lifting of generative AI, including functions for creating images and writing essays based on simple prompts.”
We first heard reports of “AppleGPT”, Apple’s in-house LLM (large language model), last year, reportedly codenamed Ajax. That said, it looks like Apple could be lagging behind as the company hopes to bring on board one of the AI juggernauts like Google. Gurman says “Apple’s technology remains inferior to tools from Google and other rivals,” according to sources in the know, which means opting for a partnership could be seen as the better option.
With more than 2 billion Apple devices on the planet, Google would hugely benefit from bringing Gemini to the masses, but with time ticking before the reveal of iOS 18 in June at WWDC 2024 could it be implemented in time?
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