Apple’s decision to use Google’s Gemini technology as part of its next-generation Siri strategy has gained fresh attention following newly disclosed court filings from OpenAI. The documents provide new details about the performance of the ChatGPT integration introduced through Apple Intelligence and the growing tensions between the two technology companies.
Apple and OpenAI announced their partnership in 2024 as part of Apple’s broader effort to bring generative artificial intelligence features to iPhone, iPad and Mac users. Under the arrangement, ChatGPT was integrated into Apple Intelligence and could be accessed through Siri and other supported Apple features. The partnership was widely viewed as an important step in Apple’s move into generative AI.
However, newly disclosed legal filings indicate that OpenAI was disappointed with the level of user engagement generated by the Apple integration. According to the filing, the ChatGPT feature initially got off to a slow start after its launch in December 2024. OpenAI subsequently reduced its expectations for the number of additional weekly active users it expected to gain through the Apple partnership. By 2026, the company described the integration as persistently underperforming.
One important factor highlighted in reports about the court documents is the way ChatGPT was introduced within Apple Intelligence. The feature was not automatically activated for users. Instead, iPhone owners had to opt in and complete steps before using ChatGPT through Siri. This additional process may have reduced the number of users who interacted with the service compared with what OpenAI had initially expected.
OpenAI had expected the Apple partnership to provide more than simple access to iPhone users. The company reportedly anticipated a promotional and brand benefit from its association with Apple, as well as the possibility of attracting additional ChatGPT users and subscribers. However, the court filing indicates that these expectations were not achieved at the level OpenAI had anticipated.
The documents are significant because they offer a public look at OpenAI’s internal assessment of the Apple relationship. Much of the material in the filing remains redacted, meaning that precise user numbers and some details about discussions between the companies are not publicly available. Therefore, the filing does not provide a complete picture of the commercial performance of the integration.
The court documents also clarify that Apple’s agreement with OpenAI was not exclusive. OpenAI reportedly sought a two-year exclusivity arrangement, but Apple declined the request. The agreement allowed Apple to integrate other products or services providing similar functionality. Apple had also indicated that it intended to work with one AI provider initially and potentially expand its AI partnerships later.
That detail is particularly relevant to Apple’s subsequent decision to work with Google. Apple has now moved toward Google’s Gemini technology for its newer Siri AI system. The development means that Apple’s relationship with OpenAI is no longer the only major external AI partnership connected with its long-term Siri strategy.
The shift also reflects the changing AI landscape since Apple Intelligence was first announced. Apple has been developing its own AI capabilities while also relying on external models and technologies where appropriate. Google’s Gemini models have increasingly become part of that strategy, particularly as Apple works on a more advanced version of Siri.
The latest court disclosures come against the backdrop of a much broader legal dispute involving Apple and OpenAI. The two companies were previously partners in bringing ChatGPT to Apple devices, but their relationship has become more complicated. In July 2026, Apple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI alleging that the company had obtained confidential Apple information through employees who moved to OpenAI. OpenAI disputed the allegations and said it had no interest in other companies’ trade secrets.
The legal dispute is separate from the performance concerns described in OpenAI’s recent court filing. The new filing emerged in litigation involving OpenAI and companies associated with Elon Musk. OpenAI used the details of its Apple partnership in its legal arguments, including its position that the agreement was not an exclusive arrangement and that the Apple integration generated limited usage.
The documents therefore provide two important pieces of information about the Apple OpenAI relationship. First, OpenAI says the ChatGPT integration delivered less user engagement than expected. Second, Apple was not contractually prevented from working with other AI companies.
For Apple, the move toward Google’s Gemini technology provides another route for developing Siri while the company continues to build its own AI capabilities. For OpenAI, the court filing highlights the limits of relying on a major hardware platform to automatically generate significant user growth.
The developments also demonstrate how quickly partnerships in the artificial intelligence industry can change. When Apple and OpenAI announced their collaboration in 2024, the arrangement connected one of the world’s largest device ecosystems with one of the leading generative AI companies. Less than two years later, Apple has expanded its AI strategy to include Google’s technology.
The exact reasons behind Apple’s choice of Google’s Gemini for its newer Siri system cannot be established solely from the newly disclosed court filings. The documents primarily describe OpenAI’s concerns about the performance of the earlier ChatGPT integration. Apple’s current AI architecture involves multiple technologies and its own development efforts, so the decision should not be interpreted as being based on a single factor.
The latest disclosures nevertheless offer a clearer view of why the 2024 Apple OpenAI partnership did not develop as OpenAI had expected. With user adoption reportedly below forecasts and Apple maintaining the contractual ability to work with other AI providers, the company had room to pursue alternative technology.
As Apple continues developing its next-generation Siri, Google’s Gemini technology is now playing a significant role in the company’s AI plans. Meanwhile, the court filings have brought renewed attention to the earlier ChatGPT partnership and the commercial expectations that surrounded it.