Apple is in talks with Google-parent Alphabet over licensing its “Gemini” artificial intelligence training model for use in iPhones.
New generative AI models process “prompts,” such as internet search queries, that describe what a user wants to get. Generative AI technologies create text, images, video and computer programming code on their own.
Apple and Google are reportedly in active negotiations to let Apple license Gemini to power some new features coming to the phone’s software this year.
The two parties have not decided the terms or branding of an AI agreement or finalised how it would be implemented, and it is unlikely that any deal would be announced until June, when Apple plans to hold its annual Worldwide Developers Conference.
Apple has been slower in rolling out generative AI, which can generate human-like responses to written prompts, than rivals Microsoft and Google, which are weaving them into products.
Given that Google is already the default search engine on the over 2 billion active Apple devices, a collaboration with Google for AI features could further solidify Google’s position as Apple’s preferred search engine provider.
