That arrangement has faced scrutiny from regulators, with the US Justice Department arguing in an antitrust case that the deal helps Google maintain its search monopoly, though a judge said the arrangement could continue.

Financial details of the AI arrangement were not provided.

Dan Ives, of Wedbush Securities, said the partnership was “a major validation moment for Google” and “a stepping stone” for Apple to get its AI strategy on track into 2026 and beyond.

Apple reportedly also considered partnerships with OpenAI, Anthropic, and Perplexity.

The company co-founded by Steve Jobs is largely perceived to have stumbled in efforts to roll out AI capabilities across its products and last month announced the head of its artificial intelligence team was stepping down.

Apple last year delayed the release of an improved Siri digital assistant and is now promising it for later in the year.

Google, Microsoft, OpenAI and other tech rivals have been releasing ever-improved AI models and features in a fierce race to lead the sector.

Despite the collaboration, Apple emphasised that its in-house AI system, Apple Intelligence, will be used to power its iPhones and iPads at the device-only level, maintaining what it described as “industry-leading privacy standards”.

-Agence France-Presse