Siri gets a Gemini brain

PLUS: Databricks buys a real-time AI brain, Nvidia's China chip standoff, and Waymo takes on NYC

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Gen AI Art
August 24, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes

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Apple may be turning to a major rival to power its next generation of AI. The company is reportedly in talks with Google to license its Gemini model for a completely revamped Siri.

This potential partnership marks a massive strategic shift for a company that prides itself on in-house development. The deal could give Siri a much-needed powerful upgrade, but what does it signal when even the world's biggest tech giants decide it's better to team up than build alone?

Today in AI:

  • Apple in talks to license Google's Gemini for Siri

  • Databricks acquires real-time AI firm Tecton

  • Waymo begins robotaxi testing in NYC

  • Nvidia navigates China chip standoff

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What’s new? Apple is reportedly in talks with Google to license its Gemini model, signalling a landmark partnership to power a completely new version of Siri.

What matters?

  • This potential deal marks a major strategic shift for Apple, which famously develops its core technologies in-house and has historically viewed Google as a primary competitor.

  • The integration fits into Apple’s broader enterprise AI ambitions, which are built on a modular system and Private Cloud Compute to ensure user privacy and security.

  • News of the potential partnership is already making financial waves, contributing to a 3.7% rise in Alphabet's stock during Q2 as investors anticipate Gemini's expansion.

Why it matters?

This move would give Apple an instant, powerful upgrade for Siri while placing Google’s flagship AI on over a billion devices. It shows that in today's AI landscape, strategic partnerships are becoming essential for even the biggest players to compete.

What’s new? Data and AI giant Databricks is acquiring Tecton, a machine learning startup previously valued at $900M. The move aims to integrate Tecton’s real-time data infrastructure directly into the Databricks platform to power faster AI applications.

What matters?

  • The acquisition directly supports Databricks’ push into autonomous systems by scaling its Agent Bricks product, enabling AI agents to access and process live information with minimal delay.

  • Tecton was founded by ex-Uber engineers who previously built Michelangelo, the internal AI platform that powers features like Uber's real-time pricing.

  • This purchase is part of a larger strategy fueled by a recent valuation of over $100 billion, following other major acquisitions like MosaicML for $1.3 billion.

Why it matters?

This deal tightens Databricks’ grip on the end-to-end AI development lifecycle, from data processing to deployment. By embedding real-time capabilities, the company is positioning its platform as the essential toolkit for building the next wave of responsive AI applications.

What’s new? Google’s Waymo has received approval to begin testing its autonomous robotaxis in New York City. This move pits its advanced AI against one of the most complex urban driving environments in the world.

What matters?

  • The initial trial involves a small fleet of up to eight Jaguar I-Pace SUVs and will run through late September with strict safety protocols, requiring a human operator to keep one hand on the wheel.

  • New York City represents Waymo's most ambitious test case to date, presenting challenges like dense traffic, aggressive drivers, and complex street layouts that far surpass its other operational cities.

  • A successful test could unlock the largest and most lucrative urban mobility market globally, positioning Waymo to capture significant market share from established ride-hailing services.

Why it matters?

This trial is less about immediate deployment and more about proving its technology can conquer the ultimate urban jungle. Success in NYC would serve as a powerful signal that autonomous vehicles are ready for any major city on Earth.

Everything else in AI

Meta partnered with Midjourney to integrate its advanced image and video generation technology into the company's creative AI toolset.

Figure released new footage of its Figure 02 humanoid robot navigating outdoor obstacles, showcasing its newly developed Helix locomotion control system.

Foxconn is reportedly set to unveil its first LLM-powered humanoid robot in November, with plans to deploy the Nvidia-powered bots in its Houston server factory in early 2026.

Google published a new study on the environmental impact of its AI models, claiming Gemini prompts use very little water and power, though the report's methodology is facing scrutiny.

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