Наталя ХандусенкоAI Eng
14 August 2026, 10:50
2026-08-14
Apple may become the first foreign company to launch its own AI in China: what is known
Apple, in collaboration with Alibaba, is developing a large-scale artificial intelligence language model specifically for the Chinese market. If Beijing regulators give final approval, Apple will become the first foreign corporation to receive permission to launch its own AI in the country. It could be a rare example of technological cooperation between the United States and China amid a protracted geopolitical and trade standoff.
Apple, in collaboration with Alibaba, is developing a large-scale artificial intelligence language model specifically for the Chinese market. If Beijing regulators give final approval, Apple will become the first foreign corporation to receive permission to launch its own AI in the country. It could be a rare example of technological cooperation between the United States and China amid a protracted geopolitical and trade standoff.
According to Reuters sources, the AI model was developed in partnership with Alibaba Group and trained with the support of the Chinese tech giant.
Apple has not previously been reported to be training its own model specifically for the Chinese market. Until now, the company has tended to use models from local partners to integrate generative AI into iPhones and other devices sold in China. American developments, such as Anthropic's Claude or OpenAI's ChatGPT, which Apple integrates into its devices in the domestic market, are not available in China.
Apple's AI toolkit is expected to become available in China in the coming months along with an update to the iOS operating system, sources said.
A custom model tailored for the Chinese market would give Apple more control over AI features in its most competitive overseas market, where it has lost ground to local rivals, including Huawei, which has surged ahead with AI-powered smartphones.
Apple's planned launch is a unique two-pronged strategy for a foreign company to deploy AI in China, allowing the tech giant to overcome the stringent regulatory barriers that have limited market access for many other American technology companies.
The move follows a lengthy regulatory approval process that culminated last month when the Cyberspace Administration of China, the country’s main internet watchdog, registered Apple’s generative AI service, paving the way for Apple Intelligence to make its first appearance on Chinese iPhones.
Under the deal, Alibaba's Qwen model will be integrated into the version of Apple Intelligence that ships with compatible iPhone, iPad, Mac and Vision Pro models in China, and the service will also use Baidu's technology, Reuters reported in July.
Last week, Apple published a Chinese-language guide explaining how compatible Mac users in mainland China could connect Qwen to Siri and Writing Tools. The Mac-specific solution could help the company compete in China's AI-powered PC market. However, Apple later removed the guide without explanation.
