Apple is reportedly in talks with Google to obtain a Gemini license for the iPhone according to Bloomberg.
An opportunity made possible by the fact that Google offers its LLM to third-party developers, in addition to using it for its own needs.
There are “negotiations to allow Apple to use Gemini, Google’s set of generative AI models, to power certain new features of the iPhone software this year” indicates the agency, which specifies that Apple also spoke with OpenAI, which powers Microsoft’s AI capabilities.
Google has already announced a partnership with Samsung on Gemini
Bloomberg assures that Apple is seeking to use cloud-based generative AI with this agreement. On the other hand, Apple would master its own AI models and capabilities on the device, and would offer them from the next version of iOS, iOS 18.
If this agreement takes place, the collaboration between Apple and Google would be strengthened, since the two companies already collaborate on Google’s default search engine present on Safari, the native browser present on iOS.
Google already announced a partnership with Samsung last February so that Gemini (for further reading: What is Gemini? Everything you need to know about Google’s new super-powerful AI) powers the summary functions in the Samsung Galaxy S24 notes and voice recording apps.
Apple is working on AI, but discreetly
Samsung also uses the Imagen 2 text-to-image LLM in its photo gallery application.
Note that these functions all require server-side processing. But Samsung also uses a version of Gemini on the device. Bloomberg does not expect a deal to be announced until WWDC in June.
Apple is perhaps the GAFAM member that makes the fewest announcements regarding generative artificial intelligence. Last month, however, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company planned to unveil its plans to use generative AI later this year, adding that the company was investing “significantly” in this domain.