Gemini vs. Siri: AI Race

Gemini vs Siri: The AI Race Heats Up

The AI race between Google and Apple is intensifying, with Google’s Gemini leading the charge with innovative features like Gemini 2.5 Flash, while Apple’s Siri struggles with delays and integration challenges. At Google I/O 2025, Google unveiled a series of groundbreaking AI capabilities, solidifying its dominance in the AI landscape. Meanwhile, Apple faces significant hurdles in rolling out basic AI updates, including a year-long delay for its highly anticipated Siri upgrade.

Google has made substantial strides in AI, rebuilding its framework to integrate advanced AI features across its product range. During Google I/O this week, the company announced numerous AI enhancements, highlighting Apple’s lagging progress. Last year, Apple introduced Apple Intelligence, a suite of AI services and features, but many of these remain unavailable even in beta. Apple’s struggle to keep pace with Google’s AI advancements has become increasingly apparent.

Google’s AI Progress

Despite initially trailing in the AI race, Google has rapidly accelerated its AI development since the debut of ChatGPT. The launch of Bard, now rebranded as Gemini, has allowed Google to match or surpass ChatGPT in many areas. At Google I/O 2025, the company introduced Gemini 2.5 Flash, along with other cutting-edge features like generative AI video, upgrading from Veo 2 to Veo 3, and Flow, a video editor for generative AI video.

Google’s ability to leverage data from its search engine gives it a significant advantage in training its AI models. However, this also poses challenges, as using data crawled and indexed by Google Search can reduce traffic to original content creators, impacting publishers negatively. Google’s open ecosystem allows its AI features to function seamlessly across products like Gmail, Google Docs, and Android, further enhancing its competitive edge.

Apple’s Challenges

Apple, on the other hand, is grappling with releasing even minor AI features. The company’s commitment to privacy has made it difficult to train its AI models effectively, as it refrains from collecting user data like Google and other companies. Apple typically waits for other companies to experiment with new technologies before entering the market, but this strategy may not be viable for AI, which is constantly evolving.

Apple’s executives were slow to recognize the potential of AI, only embracing it in 2023, nearly a decade after Google began investing in it. This delayed response has resulted in several AI features that do not function effectively. Apple’s focus on on-device processing for privacy reasons has also conflicted with its AI development, as not all AI processes can be handled on-device.

Apple’s attempt to poach Google’s head of AI eight years ago has yielded little progress in the AI race. The company’s focus on XR (Extended Reality) with the launch of Vision Pro in 2023, a costly virtual reality headset, did not pay off as expected. Apple is now shifting its focus back to AI, but Google has not forgotten about XR, announcing Android XR and its own XR Glasses at Google I/O this week.

Google’s Advantage

Google’s extensive data access through Google Search provides it with a significant advantage in training its AI models. However, this also creates a problem, as using data from Google Search can reduce traffic to the websites that created the content. This is already a concern for Google, as it negatively impacts publishers. If Google puts publishers out of business by reducing their traffic, it will lose access to the data needed to train its AI, making publishers a necessity for Google.

Google’s open ecosystem allows its AI features to function seamlessly across its products, from Gmail to Google Docs to Android. Apple opposes this approach for privacy reasons, which could be its downfall. While Apple produces excellent hardware, AI is clearly not its strength.

Apple’s Potential Comeback

To make a comeback, Apple may need to acquire one or two AI companies. While partnering with OpenAI for ChatGPT with Siri, it is unlikely that Apple would buy OpenAI due to Microsoft’s significant investment. However, Apple could acquire Anthropic, the company behind Claude AI. Does Apple have a chance in 2025? No. In the next 5 years? Possibly.

Apple’s potential comeback hinges on its ability to overcome its current challenges and leverage its strengths in hardware and privacy. The company’s focus on privacy is a double-edged sword, as it limits its ability to train AI models effectively but also sets it apart from competitors like Google. Apple’s future in the AI race will depend on its ability to innovate while staying true to its core values.