In brief
- Apple trained a large language model for China with support from Alibaba, Reuters reported.
- The deal could make Apple the first foreign company allowed to operate its own proprietary AI model in China.
- Apple Intelligence is expected to reach Chinese iPhones through an iOS update in the coming months.
Apple trained its own AI model for China with Alibaba’s help as it races to bring Apple Intelligence to Chinese customers, Reuters reported.
Citing three people familiar with the matter, Reuters said the Cyberspace Administration of China registered Apple’s generative AI service last month, clearing a key regulatory hurdle that has kept OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude unavailable in China.
Alibaba Chairman Joe Tsai confirmed the companies’ arrangement in February 2025.
“They talked to a number of companies in China,” Tsai reportedly said at the time. “In the end they chose to do business with us.”
According to Reuters, Apple plans to pair its model with Alibaba’s Qwen and technology from Baidu. It remains unclear what role each system will play; however, Apple Intelligence, the company's branded artificial intelligence initiative, is expected to reach Chinese iPhones through an iOS update “in the coming months.”
The news comes after a difficult year for Apple’s AI business.
In January, the company said its next-generation Foundation Models would use Google’s Gemini, instead of a proprietary design, following delays and a weak reception for Apple Intelligence.
In May, Apple agreed to pay $250 million to settle claims that it misled iPhone buyers about AI features that were unavailable at launch. The delay has left Apple trailing Chinese rivals such as Huawei, which already sells phones with AI features.
In June, the company unveiled Siri AI, a rebuilt assistant that can hold conversations, analyze images, and use personal context. Apple said the assistant would enter beta later this year but remain unavailable in China while it worked through regulatory requirements.