Apple assures Siri users their data stays private even as Google Gemini powers new AI features

Apple has moved quickly to address privacy concerns surrounding its new partnership with Google, confirming that users’ Siri conversations will not be shared with Google even though Gemini AI models will power many of Siri’s upcoming features.

The clarification comes amid growing scrutiny over how generative AI systems use personal data. Google’s Gemini, by default, relies on user interactions to improve its models, prompting fears that private Siri requests could become part of Google’s training data once the technology is embedded into Apple’s ecosystem.

In a joint statement, Apple said that all Apple Intelligence features,  including those powered by Gemini, will continue to follow its “industry-leading privacy standards.” The company added that the AI system will operate through a mix of on-device processing and its proprietary Private Cloud Compute platform, ensuring that sensitive information never leaves Apple’s control.

Also read: Apple turns to Google’s Gemini to supercharge the next generation of Siri

Private Cloud Compute, which was unveiled with iOS 18, is designed to bring cloud-level AI performance without compromising privacy. When a user makes a request, Apple’s system decides whether it can be handled locally on the iPhone or needs more computing power. If cloud processing is required, only the minimum data needed for that task is sent to Apple’s own servers running Apple-designed silicon. According to Apple, this information is not stored or accessible to anyone, including the company itself.

Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering, Craig Federighi, has previously described the system as one that uses personal data solely to fulfil a user’s request, with built-in safeguards that can be independently verified by security experts.

While Apple has not detailed every technical aspect of how Gemini will integrate into Siri, the framework suggests that Google’s AI models will provide the intelligence behind responses without seeing or retaining user data. Smaller tasks will be handled directly on the device, while more complex ones may be routed through Private Cloud Compute, keeping requests shielded from external parties.

Also read: Meta launches "Meta Compute" initiative to build gigawatt-scale AI infrastructure

Apple has taken a similar approach in the past. When it integrated OpenAI’s ChatGPT into certain Siri and Apple Intelligence features, it said OpenAI could not store user queries and that IP addresses were masked to prevent identification.

The revamped, AI-driven Siri, now powered in part by Google Gemini, is expected to arrive with iOS 26.4, likely rolling out in March or April. With privacy a key concern, Apple is positioning its hybrid AI model as a way to offer powerful intelligence without sacrificing the trust of its users.