RM Elon Musk Criticizes Apple–Google AI Partnership Following Major Joint Announcement
Elon Musk has publicly voiced his dissatisfaction after Apple and Google unveiled a surprising new partnership, marking one of Apple’s most significant strategic shifts in recent years.
Apple has been heavily investing in artificial intelligence, joining other major tech players in the race to develop advanced AI tools. The company even introduced its own system, branded as Apple Intelligence. So far, however, its capabilities for iPhone users have remained fairly modest, offering features such as writing assistance, scheduling tools, and real-time translation through select AirPods models.
The biggest disappointment has been Siri. Apple positioned its long-standing virtual assistant at the center of its AI ambitions, promising a smarter, more capable companion that could rival competitors across the industry. Instead, Siri’s AI overhaul has faced repeated delays, and with each update, confidence in its eventual release seemed to fade.
That changed with a recent bombshell announcement. Apple revealed a multi-year collaboration with Google that could finally address these long-standing issues—though in a way few expected.
In a joint statement, the two companies confirmed that future Apple Foundation Models will be built using Google’s Gemini AI models and cloud infrastructure. According to Apple and Google, this partnership will support upcoming Apple Intelligence features, including a more personalized version of Siri expected to launch later this year.
In practical terms, the move signals Apple’s acknowledgment that its in-house AI efforts were falling short of earlier promises. By leveraging Google’s established AI technology, Apple appears determined to deliver the features users have been waiting for—even if it means relying on a longtime rival.
While many Apple users have welcomed the news as a long-overdue solution, not everyone is pleased. Elon Musk quickly criticized the deal, suggesting it gives Google too much influence across the tech landscape. Responding to Google’s announcement on X, Musk argued that the partnership represents an “unreasonable concentration of power,” pointing to Google’s existing dominance through Android and Chrome.
Although concerns about consolidation aren’t new—especially given Apple’s long-standing agreement to make Google the default search engine in Safari—some observers believe Musk’s reaction may also reflect competitive anxiety, as Google’s expanding AI reach puts additional pressure on his own AI product, Grok.
Musk has previously taken issue with Apple’s AI-related partnerships, particularly those involving ChatGPT, and how they affect rankings in the App Store compared to X and Grok. Still, considering the broader pattern of corporate consolidation in recent years, few expect his criticism to derail the deal.
Social media reactions were quick and often biting. Several users highlighted what they saw as irony in Musk’s comments, with one Reddit user pointing out the contradiction of one of the world’s richest individuals warning about excessive concentration of power. Others echoed similar sentiments, arguing that Musk himself embodies the very issue he’s criticizing.
