Apple Intelligence, the iPhone maker’s generative AI product, is coming to China.
On Wednesday, Reuters reported that China’s internet content regulator, the Cyberspace Administration of China, had approved Apple’s AI services in the country on the back of a deal to integrate Alibaba’s Qwen AI model into Apple’s operating systems, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS and visionOS.
On Wednesday night, a Baidu spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch that the company is also working with Apple on developing Apple Intelligence features for Chinese users.
The partnership with Alibaba, which was rumored to be in the works last year, is a significant step for Apple’s AI ambitions in key markets. In the second quarter, Apple generated $20.5 billion in revenue in Greater China, an increase of 28% year over year. Apple has also regained its No. 2 position in China’s smartphone market after discounts on its iPhone lineup were offered at a recent shopping festival.
A partnership with Baidu was also rumored, but reports at the time said Apple was facing problems adapting the model for Chinese customers. Apple is also said to be considering integration with DeepSeek and ByteDance.
The lack of approval from Chinese regulators has delayed the introduction of Apple Intelligence features, which debuted in 2024, in the Chinese market.
Alibaba earlier confirmed its news in a statement to CNBC, saying its Qwen model “will be integrated into the Apple Intelligence experience,” but did not say when. It also said the integration will include AI capabilities such as “text and image understanding and generation.”
This article was updated on Thursday, July 16 to include Baidu’s statement.
