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Apple to Integrate Google’s Gemini AI Model to Power New Siri, Bloomberg Reports

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Apple plans to use Google’s massive 1.2 trillion-parameter Gemini AI model to power the next generation of its Siri voice assistant, according to a Bloomberg report published Wednesday. The deal, expected to be finalized soon, would see Apple pay roughly $1 billion annually for access to Google’s advanced AI technology.

The partnership marks a major step in Apple’s artificial intelligence ambitions, as it seeks to close the gap with rivals like Microsoft and OpenAI in generative AI. The Gemini model — one of the world’s most powerful — is set to serve as a temporary solution while Apple continues developing its own large-scale AI systems.

Bloomberg reported that the Gemini integration would enable Siri to handle more complex queries, offer improved conversational capabilities, and process natural language more fluidly than before. Apple’s current in-house models are far smaller in scale and capability compared with Google’s.

Neither Apple nor Alphabet has commented on the report. The collaboration underscores the growing trend among major tech firms to partner on AI development, even as they compete fiercely in the space.

Apple’s use of a Google-built AI model mirrors its long-standing partnership with the search giant, whose engine already powers Safari search functions on iPhones — another deal worth billions annually.

Waymo Begins Manual Autonomous Vehicle Tests at Newark Airport

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Alphabet’s self-driving technology unit, Waymo, has started manual testing of its autonomous vehicles at Newark Liberty International Airport. This initiative marks a significant step toward introducing its robotaxi services to one of the busiest airports in the New York metropolitan area.

The testing, conducted with human drivers, is part of a collaboration between Waymo and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The company aims to carefully evaluate airport traffic patterns, ensuring safe and efficient integration of self-driving vehicles into real-world environments.

Although Waymo’s expansion has been gradual due to strict regulations and costly technology, it continues to advance through partnerships with ride-hailing platforms and fleet operators. The company’s move coincides with Tesla’s upcoming rollout of its long-awaited robotaxi network in the U.S. Meanwhile, Waymo plans to launch its fully driverless ride-hailing service in London by 2026, expanding its global footprint.

Google unveils ‘Quantum Echoes’ algorithm, marking leap toward practical quantum computing

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Google has announced the creation of a groundbreaking quantum computing algorithm that could pave the way for real-world applications — from drug discovery to new materials research — and generate unique datasets for artificial intelligence.

The algorithm, dubbed Quantum Echoes, runs on Google’s quantum chip and performs calculations 13,000 times faster than the most advanced classical computing algorithms running on today’s supercomputers, the company said.

Executives from Alphabet’s (GOOGL.O) Google shared during a briefing that Quantum Echoes could one day help measure molecular structures with unprecedented precision, potentially revolutionizing chemistry, medicine, and materials science. “If I can’t tell you the data is correct, if I can’t prove to you the data is correct, how can I do anything with it?” said Google research scientist Tom O’Brien, highlighting that the algorithm’s outputs can be verified by other quantum computers or experiments — a key step toward real-world usability.

Quantum Echoes builds on Google’s Willow quantum chip, unveiled last year, which overcame one of the central challenges of quantum computing: maintaining stable and reliable “qubits,” the fragile quantum bits that store and process information. Company executives described the significance of the new algorithm as “roughly equivalent” to the chip itself.

Google joins a growing list of major tech firms — including Amazon (AMZN.O) and Microsoft (MSFT.O) — investing heavily in quantum computing as the technology races from theoretical promise toward commercial reality.

For artificial intelligence, Google engineers said Quantum Echoes could be used to create new, high-quality datasets for fields like life sciences, where usable data is scarce. The company detailed the breakthrough in the journal Nature on Wednesday, marking another milestone in the emerging era of quantum-enhanced computation.