Gemini Personal Intelligence offers insights into the future of Siri

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Gemini Personal Intelligence offers a concrete glimpse into how personal AI assistants are likely to develop in the coming years. The recently confirmed collaboration between Apple and Google ensures that the new Siri will be significantly more driven by artificial intelligence than its predecessors. Many of the upcoming Siri features are expected to be based on Google's Gemini models. What was previously only theoretically announced can now be practically experienced with Gemini Personal Intelligence.

For years, Siri has been considered functional but limited. With the new AI direction, this approach is fundamentally changing. Since WWDC 2024 and a subsequently removed iPhone 16 advertisement, it's clear that Apple is focusing on deeply integrated, context-based AI. Gemini Personal Intelligence serves as a kind of blueprint for what Apple plans to achieve with the next generation of Siri.

Gemini Personal Intelligence as a working preview

Google has released a beta version of Gemini Personal Intelligence. The focus is on Gemini's ability to aggregate information from various sources and generate context-aware responses. Unlike traditional chatbots, the system works not only with general knowledge data but also with personal information from the apps and services used.

These sources include Google Workspace with Gmail, Calendar and Drive, Google Photos, YouTube history, and various Google services such as Search, Shopping, News, Maps, Google Flights and Hotels. This allows the answers to be individually tailored and based on real habits and past activities.

The Apple version will, according to current information, function similarly, but exclusively with data from Apple apps such as Mail, Calendar, Photos and Notes, as well as from the respective iCloud account.

Use of personal data from apps

A concrete example of how Gemini Personal Intelligence works comes from Josh Woodward, head of Google Gemini. When searching for new tires for a 2019 Honda minivan, Gemini not only determined the correct tire size but also suggested several suitable options, including one for everyday use and one for all-weather conditions.

Gemini used information from Google Photos and considered previous family trips to Oklahoma. These suggestions were supplemented by structured price comparisons and reviews.

In another scenario, the vehicle's license plate number was required at the checkout. Gemini extracted the seven-digit number directly from a saved photo and additionally identified the minivan's exact specifications by analyzing relevant emails in Gmail. The result was a seamless process without manual searching or context switching.

Dealing with hallucinations

A key risk with AI systems is so-called hallucinations, meaning erroneous or fabricated information. Google specifically addresses this problem with Gemini Personal Intelligence. The system displays the assumptions made in a response and allows users to review or correct them.

Additionally, the system discloses the linked sources of information. If these references are missing, further details can be specifically requested. Answers can also be corrected directly, for example, by clarifying personal preferences. Alternatively, a new answer without personalization can be generated at any time.

Data protection and control

Data privacy plays a central role in Gemini Personal Intelligence. This feature is not automatically activated and must be explicitly enabled. This allows you to specify which apps and services are permitted to be integrated. By default, all connections are disabled and can be changed or removed at any time.

Google states that the data does not leave its own ecosystem. Whether this inspires trust or not remains a matter of individual assessment. Apple, on the other hand, states that the future version of Siri will only access data stored locally in apps or in the iCloud account.

Google Gemini: A realistic look at the future of personal AI

Gemini Personal Intelligence clearly demonstrates the direction in which personal AI assistants are evolving. Instead of isolated voice commands, a system is emerging that recognizes connections, uses personal data effectively, and simultaneously offers transparency and control. The integration of Gemini should represent a significant leap in quality for the new Siri and provide a realistic glimpse of how personal AI can actually function in everyday life. (Image: Shutterstock / Primakov)