It has already been said repeatedly, but Apple CEO Tim Cook has once again confirmed that Apple Intelligence will still be on-device and in Private Cloud Compute in spite of the Google partnership.
Apple is working with Google to get access to a powerful Gemini model built to operate in Apple's technology structures like Private Cloud Compute. While the details of the deal and implementation are still scarce, one repeating mantra from Apple has been that Apple Intelligence will still be operated by Apple Foundation Models on device and in Private Cloud Compute.
Yet another reiteration came from Apple CEO Tim Cook on a call with CNBC prior to the quarterly earnings call. His truncated comment states that Apple's privacy rules aren't going anywhere.
"We're not changing our privacy rules," Cook's on-air comment read. "We still have the same architecture that we announced before, which is on device plus Private Cloud Compute."
He's not mincing words here, though, it remains to be seen exactly how Gemini is being used to become the "foundation" of Apple Foundation Models. It seems that Apple will be using the 1.2 trillion parameter Gemini model to help train and reinforce its existing models, which will be what powers features the user interacts with.
Unless something changes, the underlying technology powering Apple Intelligence will still be Apple's, not Google's. While Gemini is used in training, the end user will only be interacting with Apple models on device and in Private Cloud Compute.
The initial launch of this new and improved Apple Intelligence and personalized Siri is expected with iOS 26.4. It will mean Siri will behave more similarly to other LLMs while remaining a private and secure way to interact with your on-device data and the web.
Users will not be interacting with Google Gemini via Apple's AI tools
Later, during WWDC 2026, Apple is expected to announce further changes to Siri, which will bring it closer to a chatbot in functionality. While there still won't be a Siri app, the assistant is expected to have more conversational memory and behave based on the user's tone and emotions.
Nvidia's demand for similar parts that Apple uses in its chips may limit Apple's ability to produce enough servers with enough power for the even more capable Apple Foundation Models. So, rumors suggest Apple could rely on Google yet again, this time leasing its servers to act as Private Cloud Compute servers for Apple's models.
Even then, Cook's comment holds true. Users will be interacting with Apple Intelligence powered by Apple Foundation Models, which means their privacy and security remain intact.
We're not going to be told more
Apple doesn't want to detail any more of the Gemini deal to the public, so we may never know the exact implementation of these models behind the scenes unless there are direct leaks. Cook confirmed during the earnings call that Apple isn't going to be "releasing the details" of the Gemini deal.
His language in the earnings call and the earlier comments all line up with what AppleInsider has been reporting. Gemini will not be running on your iPhone — it's all still Apple Intelligence powered by Apple Foundation Models.
Apple's promises do hold some weight, since they were made in the context of earnings reporting. If they're not true and users are interacting with Gemini passing data to Google in some way, there will be legal pushback via lawsuits and SEC action.
