Apple Intelligence is launching in China following regulatory approval from the Cyberspace Administration of China. This authorisation follows a deal to integrate Alibaba’s Qwen AI model into Apple’s operating systems, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS. A Baidu spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday evening that the search giant is also developing Apple Intelligence features for users in the region. Alibaba stated its Qwen models would handle text and image understanding and generation within Apple’s services, though no specific launch date was provided. The partnership marks a significant shift after a lack of approval previously delayed the feature set in the market since its 2024 debut.
The move addresses the specific requirement for local partnerships to operate generative AI services within the country. Apple had faced issues adapting its own models for Chinese customers and was previously exploring integrations with DeepSeek and ByteDance. The approval aligns with Apple’s recent performance in Greater China, where sales reached $20.5 billion in the second quarter. This development removes a major barrier to entry for the iPhone maker in a key market where it recently regained its number two position in smartphone sales.
