Apple changes chief executives about as often as it changes its charging port. In 2026 it did both kinds of big change at once: a new leader, and a new foundation for its AI.

January: Siri gets a Google brain

On January 12, 2026, Apple and Google issued a joint statement announcing a multi-year partnership: the next generation of Apple Foundation Models would be built on Google’s Gemini models and cloud technology.

Apple was careful about the boundaries. Apple Intelligence would keep running on-device and on Apple’s Private Cloud Compute, the company said, and Apple told CNBC its existing ChatGPT arrangement with OpenAI was unchanged. Neither company disclosed terms; Bloomberg reported Apple would pay about $1 billion a year, which neither has confirmed.

The same week, Alphabet passed Apple in market value for the first time since 2019, CNBC noted.

April: the succession

On April 20 Apple announced that John Ternus, its senior vice president of hardware engineering, would become chief executive on September 1 and join the board. The board’s decision was unanimous. Tim Cook, 65, chief executive since 2011, became executive chairman, taking on work such as engaging with policymakers. Arthur Levinson moved from chairman to lead independent director.

Cook’s run was one of the most successful in corporate history: Apple’s shares rose more than 1,700% during his tenure, according to NBC News. In Apple’s announcement Ternus said he was profoundly grateful for the chance to carry Apple’s mission forward.

June: WWDC shows the result

At WWDC on June 8 Apple showed the rebuilt Siri, which it said was made with Google and the Gemini family of models. It now has a standalone app, and iOS 27 supports iPhones going back to the iPhone 11, according to TechCrunch.

Why it matters

  • A hardware CEO for an AI era. Ternus comes from running Apple’s hardware engineering. Picking him, the same year Apple sourced its core AI models from Google, suggests Apple sees its advantage in devices, with models brought in where needed.
  • Dependence on a rival. Apple’s core AI models now rest on technology from Google, which already pays Apple to be Safari’s default search engine, a deal at the centre of US antitrust cases.
  • For developers: apps that use Apple Intelligence and the Foundation Models framework are now, indirectly, built on Gemini-derived models running on Apple’s infrastructure. Behaviour and capabilities may track Google’s model updates more than they used to.

Ternus took over as planned on September 1.

Sources

  1. Apple Newsroom: Tim Cook to become executive chairman, John Ternus to become CEO (Apr 20, 2026)
  2. Google: Joint statement from Google and Apple (Jan 12, 2026)
  3. CNBC: Apple and Google strike AI deal for Siri and Gemini (Jan 12, 2026)
  4. NBC News: Apple names John Ternus CEO (Apr 20, 2026)
  5. TechCrunch: WWDC 2026, everything announced (Jun 9, 2026)

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