iOS 18 Might Include Google Gemini AI Features

Apple’s upcoming iOS 18 operating system for iPhone may be powered in part by Google’s Gemini AI platform.

According to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, who has a very solid track record when it comes to Apple rumors, Apple is currently in talks with Google to build Gemini AI into the iPhone’s software.

Gurman says Apple has also held talks with OpenAI, the company behind the popular ChatGPT chat bot.

The report says Apple and Google are currently in “active negotiations” for a license to allow Google’s generative large-language models (LLM’s) to support iOS 18’s upcoming AI features.

The sources in Gurman’s report say the companies “haven’t decided the terms or branding of an AI agreement or finalized how it would be implemented.”

If the deal with Google falls through, Apple could opt to use OpenAI and ChatGPT or another company to power its generative AI software features.

Apple’s reportedly working on its own framework for large language models, dubbed “Ajax,” but it’s not as advanced as the AI tools from its rivals. This is likely why it’s in negotiations with other companies for help with iOS 18.

While nothing is confirmed, the news falls in line with everything we’ve heard about iOS 18 thus far. The operating system is rumored to have an array of generative AI features on board. Apple itself has all but confirmed these plans.

In an earning’s call covering the company’s Q1 2024 earnings, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company has big plans for AI.

Cook says Apple continues “to spend a tremendous amount of time and effort” on artificial intelligence and the company’s “excited to share the details of our ongoing work in that space later this year.”

In follow-up comments made to shareholders, Cook stated that Apple believes it will “break new ground” with “transformative” AI features later this year.

Apple’s upcoming A18 and M4 chips will feature an upgraded Neural Engine with more cores. This would improve the AI learning capabilities. It’s also a reason why some features will be limited to the new iPhone models.

Leaks suggest some of Apple’s AI software features will be exclusive to the iPhone 16 series. The new iPhone models will debut alongside the finished version of iOS 18 in September.

iOS 18 will launch in the summer at WWDC 2024. Apple typically announces WWDC’s dates in the spring, but the event should take place in early June.