The Vergecast Siri is a Gemini
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Jan 16, 2026 Apple's new partnership with Google's Gemini AI could finally upgrade Siri, igniting a tech showdown between giants. Meanwhile, lawsuits are piling against Google over adtech practices, with multiple publishers, including Vox Media, joining the fight. As Meta pivots from VR to AI, the decline of Supernatural sparks a debate about the future of consumer VR. They also tackle the dark side of Grok on X, where deepfakes are causing havoc, and wrap up with the latest drama from media giants and a quirky look at the Trump Phone controversy.
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Prioritize Product Integration Over Model Ownership
- Build the product that integrates models into great user experiences rather than obsessing over owning models.
- Focus on the application layer and unique interface work to capture value from AI shifts.
Ambiguity In How Apple Will Use Gemini
- The Apple-Gemini deal is ambiguous: Apple may run Gemini on private cloud or simply call Google's cloud services.
- That ambiguity matters for privacy, control, and how Siri will actually use Gemini.
Why Google Has An AI Lead
- Google holds unique advantages: massive compute, custom chips, and huge personal data sources that amplify model quality.
- David Pierce warns this positions Google to dominate AI interfaces and potentially make AI search the default.