Apple and Google Join Forces for Five Innovative AI Models

During this year's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple unveiled a major advancement in the field of artificial intelligence, in partnership with Google. This collaboration has resulted in five new AI models, marking a turning point in the integration of AI into Apple products.

A Strategic Partnership

The substantial upgrade of Apple's AI has been long anticipated, and the WWDC provided details on it. One of the highlights of the event was the announcement of five new Apple Intelligence models developed in collaboration with Google. Apple Intelligence was at the heart of Apple's software announcements, featuring a revamped Siri, the intelligent personal assistant. The updates also include the new MacOS Golden Gate, AI photography tools inspired by the Vision Pro, and potential features for the upcoming iOS 27.

Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of software engineering, stated during the WWDC opening video presentation: "We believe that truly useful AI must be centered around you and your needs." This philosophy is at the core of the new AI models developed in partnership with Google.

The Five New AI Models

Apple and Google introduced five new AI models. These models, while lacking catchy names, represent a significant technological advancement. The AFM 3 Core is a base model with 3 billion parameters, designed to operate on iPhones or Macs. The AFM 3 Core Advanced, with its 20 billion parameters, is described as the most powerful on-device model from Apple. The AFM 3 Cloud operates on cloud servers, while the AFM 3 Cloud (Image) powers the new AI photo editing tools and updates to Image Playground. Finally, the AFM 3 Cloud Pro is the most advanced cloud model, intended for demanding use cases, such as agentic tools and complex reasoning.

These models are not traditional chatbots or agents, but rather technological infrastructures that support AI applications, such as the new Siri. The latter will be integrated pervasively across compatible devices, enhancing user interaction.

Privacy and Security

Apple has made it a priority to ensure user privacy. All AI models operate with Apple's private cloud infrastructure, meaning that user data and conversations are not stored. Even when the AFM 3 Cloud Pro operates via Google Cloud, utilizing Nvidia GPUs, Apple assures that privacy is maintained. This approach is crucial for businesses and users concerned about data security.

A More Integrated and Natural AI

Although some features of Apple's AI are not entirely new, the company is focusing on enhancing on-device AI. This includes a multimodal model capable of understanding both speech and images, offering better accuracy in dictation and language comprehension. A system orchestrator can coordinate the models, while Apple Intelligence can also function across applications.

Compared to its competitors, Apple has been relatively slow to adopt generative AI. Its models and tools are not yet household names like ChatGPT, and the company has not experienced viral moments like Anthropic's Claude Code or Google's Nano Banana image generator. However, Apple has been thoughtful about how it integrates AI into its products, gradually rolling out new AI-powered features.

Francisco Jeronimo, vice president of client devices at IDC, stated that Apple seems to want AI to fade into the operating system, making it reliable and invisible to the user. According to him, if Apple succeeds in making AI natural, private, and useful for everyday consumers, it could not only strengthen its ecosystem but also redefine what consumers expect from every device they use.