Most powerful Apple Intelligence AI features powered by Google and Nvidia, limited to these devices

Apple unveiled a redesigned Siri and major Apple Intelligence upgrades at WWDC 2026. However, Apple's biggest AI push yet isn't powered by Apple alone. Behind the new Siri AI and several advanced Apple Intelligence features is a partnership with Google and Nvidia.

In Short

• Apple says its Apple Intelligence models were built using technologies behind Google's Gemini AI family
• Some of Apple's most advanced AI capabilities run on Nvidia GPUs
• Some of the most advanced Apple Intelligence features are limited to select devices

Apple used its WWDC 2026 keynote to unveil what it calls its biggest artificial intelligence upgrade yet, introducing a redesigned Siri AI, powerful image-generation tools, and a new cloud-powered intelligence system. While Apple assured users about the privacy and convenience of using AI tools, it also revealed that some of the most advanced Apple Intelligence features are powered by technology from Google and run on Nvidia GPUs in the cloud.

During the keynote, Apple announced a completely rebuilt Siri AI capable of holding natural conversations, understanding personal context, analysing what's on a user's screen, and performing actions across apps. According to the company, these capabilities are powered by a new Apple Intelligence architecture that combines on-device processing with cloud-based AI models when additional computing power is required.

Do note that while Apple is introducing a host of new AI-powered features, not every Apple device will get access to them. Several of the most advanced capabilities are reserved for Apple's most powerful iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Let's take a closer look at what’s new.

Apple using power of Google and Nvidia for Siri AI

Coming back to the AI features, Apple confirmed its deeper partnership with Google for its cloud-based AI technology. During the presentation, Apple's software chief Craig Federighi said the company had worked with Google and used technologies behind its Gemini family of AI models to build the next generation of Apple Foundation Models. These models power the new Apple Intelligence experience across Apple's ecosystem.

Apple also revealed that the most advanced cloud-based model, called AFM Cloud Pro, runs on Nvidia graphics processors deployed in Google's cloud infrastructure. According to Apple, the cloud model is comparable to Google's frontier Gemini models and is designed to handle more demanding AI requests that cannot efficiently run on a device.

"We work with both Google and Nvidia to extend our Private Cloud Compute infrastructure to Nvidia GPUs in Google's cloud while maintaining Apple's unmatched privacy guarantees," Apple AI executive Amar Subramanya said.

Apple says most Apple Intelligence features run directly on a user's device. However, when a task requires more computing power, the request is sent to Apple's Private Cloud Compute system. According to the company, the system processes information without storing personal data, ensuring that even Apple cannot access the user's information.

Not all Apple devices are getting the new AI features

While Apple is bringing Siri AI and a host of new Apple Intelligence features, they won't be available on every device. Support for Apple Intelligence remains limited to the iPhone 15 Pro and newer models, select M-series iPads, and Apple Silicon Macs.

The company also revealed that its most advanced on-device AI model has significantly higher hardware requirements than earlier Apple Intelligence features. While the first generation of Apple Intelligence could run on devices with 8GB of memory, the new model requires at least 12GB RAM.

The most advanced Apple Intelligence features will only run on:

• iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air
• iPads powered by the M4 chip or newer with at least 12GB RAM
• Macs powered by the M3 chip or newer with 12GB RAM or more

This means some of the headline AI features announced at WWDC 2026, including Siri's expressive voices, advanced dictation, speech generation and enhanced language understanding, will be limited to Apple's newest and most powerful devices.

Apple also confirmed that Siri AI will not be available at launch in the European Union on iOS and iPadOS. Meanwhile, both Siri AI and other new Apple Intelligence features will remain unavailable in China for now as the company works through local regulatory requirements.

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