Apple’s Quiet AI Race Against Google and OpenAI

The race to lead in artificial intelligence is no longer just about cool tools. It’s about who will shape the way we live, talk, and use technology. Apple has been quiet for a while but now it’s stepping into the spotlight where Google and OpenAI are already running fast. For years, Google moved ahead with research and powerful systems like Gemini and TensorFlow. OpenAI got people talking with ChatGPT and brought smart conversations into everyday life. Apple focused more on hardware and made strong chips like the Neural Engine while keeping user privacy tight. But things are starting to change.

AI is not just about answering questions anymore. It’s helping in daily tasks through voice assistants like Siri and even working directly on devices through on-device AI. This brings faster and more private tools. Apple might actually have an edge here. The real battle is not about the smartest AI. It’s about who can build the smartest experience without giving up privacy or speed. And Apple looks ready to finally join this AI race in a big way. The privacy-conscious nature of the AI used by Apple aligns with the regulatory trend to protect user data. The Federal Trade Commission explains that privacy can be a determinant of trust in artificial intelligence systems.

Why Apple Has Been Quiet in the AI Boom

While Google and OpenAI have been racing ahead, showing off new features and AI breakthroughs almost every month, Apple has taken a much slower and quieter path. Many people are now asking why one of the world’s most valuable tech companies stayed so silent during this AI explosion. The truth is, Apple’s approach to AI has always been cautious. Instead of rushing out bold experiments like ChatGPT or Gemini, Apple stayed focused on things it could control. That meant working on its own tools behind the scenes and sticking to its strong beliefs around user privacy and brand consistency.

The FTC highlights that prioritizing privacy in AI systems builds consumer trust and is a growing regulatory focus. Where Google used its massive web data and research labs like DeepMind to fuel its AI, and OpenAI shared public demos and partnered with companies like Microsoft, Apple chose not to play that game. They avoided open public testing. They didn’t release early versions of their large language models (LLMs) for anyone to try. Instead, they worked privately on building AI that fits neatly into their ecosystem without making noise.

This slow pace hasn’t helped their image. People started to think of Siri as outdated, especially next to fast-learning models like ChatGPT. And while others embraced open research and public feedback, Apple stayed locked in a private loop, refusing to show its hand too early. But this isn’t new for Apple. They’ve always believed in releasing things only when they’re polished and ready. Their brand is built on control and trust, not speed. Whether that works in the fast-moving AI world is still up for debate.

Apple’s AI Strategy in In-House Development vs Partnerships

For a long time, Apple seemed unsure about how it wanted to move forward with AI. Should it build everything on its own or team up with others who were already ahead? This back-and-forth has shaped Apple’s quiet and sometimes confusing AI journey. Behind the scenes, Apple has been working on its own large language model called Apple Intelligence. It’s meant to run smart features on iPhones, iPads, and Macs without sending data to the cloud. This fits with Apple’s focus on privacy and tight device control. But even with this effort, they know they can’t catch up overnight.  In June 2025, Apple’s machine learning research group published a paper pointedly titled “The Illusion of Thinking.” 

That’s why Apple has also explored partnerships. There have been real talks with Google to bring in its Gemini model. Apple has also looked at working with OpenAI and Anthropic, testing how tools like ChatGPT or Claude might fit inside their apps. None of these deals has been final yet, but it shows Apple is keeping its options open. This strategy is built on your own, but testing the best from others does reflect Apple’s habit of staying flexible while staying safe. But some critics say this indecision is slowing them down. While Google and OpenAI take risks and launch fast, Apple still seems to be choosing between being the creator or the smart integrator.

Siri’s Struggles and Delayed Revamp

When Siri first launched, it felt like magic. You could ask your phone questions and it would respond. But fast forward to now, and Siri feels stuck in the past. In contrast to systems such as ChatGPT or Google Assistant, Apple has not kept up with the level of development. The new models can hold whole conversations, have a sense of the world and learn during the process. By contrast, when asked recall questions, Siri appears to have terse or invalid answers and never continues on the question asked.

This gap became so obvious that Apple started planning a major Siri update. The goal? To make it smarter and more helpful by using contextual awareness and natural voice-based control. But instead of launching quickly, Apple pushed the full Siri revamp to 2026. To speed things up, Apple entered talks with Google about using its Gemini AI model to power Siri. That would mean bringing outside tech into one of Apple’s core features. It’s a big shift from their usual do-it-yourself style. But it shows just how far behind Siri has fallen. Right now, Siri still handles simple tasks. But compared to the deep conversation abilities of modern LLMs, it feels like using yesterday’s tool in today’s world.

What Sets Google and OpenAI Apart in the AI Race

Google and OpenAI are ahead in the AI race for a few big reasons. They didn’t just wake up one day and start building AI. They’ve been working on it for years. Google spent over 20 years building tools and systems that help make powerful AI. They created things like TensorFlow (a tool to build AI models) and TPUs (special chips made just for AI work). They also own DeepMind, one of the top research labs in the world. This gave Google a strong head start.

OpenAI took a different path. They moved fast and got a lot of attention by launching ChatGPT. It quickly became popular and was added to websites, apps, and even tools people use every day. OpenAI also made it easy for developers to build with their models using APIs and plug-ins. Another big reason these two are ahead is data. Google has tons of it from YouTube, Search, and other services. OpenAI trained its models using large amounts of online text. More data means smarter models, and both companies had access to much more than Apple ever did. So while Apple is just now getting serious about AI, Google and OpenAI have been building and testing for years and it shows.

Why Apple Is Playing Catch-Up

Apple is trying to join the AI race, but it’s starting from behind. One reason is how it builds things. Apple has never been software-oriented. They create potent products like the iPhones and Macs and they have included clever chips such as the Neural Engine. This is not enough to satisfy modern AI, which can be run on a large computer in a cloud and on massive sets of data. This is where Apple falls short. Unlike Google, Apple doesn’t have a lot of data centers. It also doesn’t collect as much user data because it cares a lot about privacy. While this is great for users, it makes it hard for Apple to train large AI models or compare them with others in public tests.

The Department of Energy emphasizes that advances in AI-specific hardware are critical to boosting AI capabilities and efficiency. Another problem is access to the web. Google can use its own search engine and YouTube to train smarter AI. Apple doesn’t own anything like that, so it has to rely on much smaller data sets. Because of all this, Apple is now trying to catch up by building smarter tools while sticking to its privacy rules. It’s not impossible, but the road is much tougher when you start late and build with fewer resources.

AI Talent War B/W Apple vs Meta, Google, and OpenAI

In the race to build smarter AI, it’s not just about data or chips. It’s also about people. The best AI experts are in high demand, and big tech companies are fighting to hire them. Apple is finding this part of the race harder than others. While it’s a strong brand, it doesn’t always give researchers the freedom they want. Apple keeps things private. It doesn’t let its teams publish their work often or share what they’re building. That’s not very exciting for researchers who like to be open. Meta, Google, and OpenAI do things differently. They offer big paychecks and let teams share their research with the world. This mix of money and freedom is very attractive.

Here’s a simple look at what each company offers:

Apple is trying to keep its current people and also recruit new ones. But it’s not easy when others are offering more freedom and bigger rewards. In this part of the AI race, Apple has to work much harder to stay in the game.

Hardware as Apple’s Hidden Weapon in the AI Race

Even though Apple is behind in AI software, it has something very powerful — its hardware.Most companies build AI that runs in the cloud, using big computers in data centers. Apple does it differently. It focuses on on-device AI. That means the AI runs right on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. This is faster and safer for users. Thanks to Apple’s smart chips like the Neural Engine and the A17 chip, its devices can handle complex tasks without needing the internet. This gives Apple a privacy edge, since your data doesn’t need to leave your phone.

Apple has also started adding LLMs (large language models) into iOS and macOS. These models help power features like writing suggestions, smart replies, and more. All of this happens without sending your data to a server. Meanwhile other companies are trying to build large AI models in the cloud, Apple is taking bets that smart hardware and edge AI will make their tools faster, more secure and more user-friendly.

Apple Intelligence at WWDC 2025

At WWDC 2025, Apple finally showed off what it’s been working on in AI. They called it Apple Intelligence. The company introduced features like smart summaries, writing help, and tools that understand your personal context. These updates were built to run on devices using Apple’s own chips. The crowd was excited, and fans online called it a big step. But some people weren’t fully impressed. While these features were nice, Siri still felt slow compared to tools like ChatGPT or Google Assistant. Many noticed that Apple focused more on showing polish than power.

Some experts said Apple’s update looked more like a catch-up move than a leap forward. Others felt the focus on privacy and on-device AI was smart, even if the features didn’t wow everyone yet. So was this real progress or just smart marketing? The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. Apple made real improvements, but there’s still a long way to go.

Can Apple Leapfrog with Strategic AI Partnerships?

Apple may not need to build everything from scratch. It’s already talking with companies like Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic to use their models like Gemini, ChatGPT, and Claude in its own products. This could help Apple move faster. Instead of spending years building and testing its own models, it could plug in ready-made tools. That would save time and give users smarter features right away. The Apple executive put it bluntly: “In the world of AI, you really don’t know what the product is until you’ve done the investment. That’s not how Apple is wired. Apple sits down to build a product knowing what the endgame is.”.

But there’s a risk too. If Apple depends too much on other companies, it loses control. It also puts its privacy promises at risk. That’s why Apple is being careful. It’s testing things, but not fully committing yet. 

Recently Google’s senior vice president  mocked Apple and said:  “There has been a lot of hype about this, and frankly, a lot of broken promises too, but Gemini is the real deal,” seemingly pointing fingers at Apple’s delayed rollout of Apple Intelligence that was promised over a year ago. Lofton said: “Some companies build their phones to lock you in, and force you to use their devices in only one way”. But We’ve seen hints that Apple is open to mixing both worlds by using some outside models while still working on Apple Intelligence in-house. That could be a smart way to stay flexible and catch up quickly without losing its values.

Will Apple Become an AI Leader or Remain a Follower?

Many people are now asking the big question. Can Apple lead in AI or will it always be behind Google and OpenAI? Some tech experts believe Apple still has a chance. The company is known for surprising the world. Nobody expected the iPhone to change everything when it first came out. Could Apple do the same with AI? If Apple wants to lead, its best bet is its hardware-first strategy. Its chips are already fast and smart. Running AI on a device keeps things private and fast which most other companies cannot match. According to the U.S. National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Office, ongoing investments in AI research and hardware innovations are shaping the future leadership of AI technologies.

Still, there are many open questions. Will Apple build stronger AI tools or keep using others like ChatGPT and Gemini? Can it catch up on things like data and research freedom? Most importantly will users trust and love Apple’s AI like they do its devices? The answer is not clear yet. But Apple has money, talent and loyal users. That is a powerful mix. If it plays its cards right, Apple could surprise us again.

Conclusion

Ultimately, Apple’s decision to stay at the back of the AI race can be explained by the fact that it adheres to the following philosophy: Think Different. Apple has deliberately chosen not to compete with AI leaders directly but has instead pursued a strategy that fits with its organizational culture and history. The company feels that reimagining AI and making a thoughtful approach towards it, as opposed to being first, can create a more meaningful and long-lasting contribution. 

This slowness-with-much-steadiness strategy might be exasperating to those who need quick results, but it is a sign of the quiet arrogance Apple has cultivated. Indeed, being the first is not what counts, Tim Cook recommended, as excellence should be reached. The question whether this strategy will pay off remains to be seen. Will the late entry of Apple change the AI landscape as significantly as the iPhone did with mobile phones? Or will the fast rate of AI development leave Apple behind? Apple now chooses to be in the shadows, waiting until it is able to make a defining effort that once and for all gives it the lead in a cataclysm planned to perfection.

FAQs 

Why is Apple behind in AI compared to Google and OpenAI?

Apple focused more on hardware and privacy. It did not invest early in large public AI models or data tools like Google and OpenAI did.

What is Apple Intelligence?

It is Apple’s own AI system that works on iPhones, iPads and Macs. It helps with writing, planning and smart actions and runs directly on your device.

Will Apple integrate ChatGPT or Gemini into iPhones?

Yes. Apple is working on it. iPhones may soon give you a choice between using ChatGPT, Gemini or Apple’s own AI depending on what you need.

Is Siri getting smarter in 2026?

Apple plans a big update for Siri in 2026. It should be more helpful, better at following up and understanding your needs more clearly.

How does Apple compare in AI privacy vs Google?

Apple’s on-device AI gives it a privacy edge. Your data stays on your device. Google uses cloud-based AI which is more powerful but may send data online.