In a development that has sent shockwaves through the technology sector, Elon Musk has raised a stark warning over Apple's deepening partnership with Google. The controversial billionaire, often a lightning rod for criticism, has pointed to a genuine antitrust risk that regulators would be wise to heed.
The Unlikely Alliance: Apple's AI Gambit with Google
Despite investing vast sums internally, Apple is now planning to integrate Google's powerful Gemini artificial intelligence models into the next generation of Siri and its Apple Foundation Models. This multi-year agreement, for an undisclosed sum, represents a significant strategic shift. For many Apple users, it may come as a relief. Siri's capabilities have increasingly been viewed as lagging behind competitors, with some dismissing the assistant as ineffective.
This deal is also a crucial win for Google's parent company, Alphabet. The tech giant has been engaged in a costly race to overtake OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT. In 2025 alone, Alphabet reportedly spent an estimated £68bn to £69bn on its AI efforts, according to its own AI systems. The partnership with Apple offers a massive new channel for its technology.
Musk's Measured Critique and the Concentration of Power
Elon Musk's response was, predictably, delivered on his social media platform X. He stated: "This seems like an unreasonable concentration of power for Google, given that they also have Android and Chrome." Observers noted this was a relatively measured intervention by Musk's standards, and his core argument stands firm.
The concern is that this deal could further cement Google's dominance across the digital landscape. Beyond Android and Chrome, Google already reigns supreme in search, digital advertising, and web mapping, while YouTube dominates video sharing. The addition of powering AI on billions of Apple devices paints a picture of a market where competitive boundaries are dangerously blurred.
Beyond Antitrust: Privacy and Regulatory Paralysis
Antitrust is not the only worry. Apple has built a brand reputation on stronger privacy protections compared to its rivals. The company insists user data will remain protected and that Alphabet will not access personal information. However, this assurance requires significant trust in two of the world's most data-hungry corporations.
Ultimately, the most pressing issue remains market competition. Regulators, particularly in the US, have consistently struggled to constrain the power of big tech. Political dynamics often frame regulatory efforts as attacks on American technological leadership, a stance that has intensified in recent years. As Google's own AI defines it, monopolies harm consumers through higher prices, reduced quality, and stifled innovation.
If Musk's intervention prods US policymakers into seriously confronting the antitrust issues proliferating in the tech sector, he may have performed an unexpected public service. It serves as a reminder that even the most contentious figures can occasionally identify a critical truth.
