Apple trains its own AI model for China market with Alibaba’s support: sources
A China-tailored model of its own would give Apple greater control
Apple has developed its own large language model tailored for the Chinese market, collaborating with Alibaba Group and receiving support from the Chinese tech giant, according to sources familiar with the matter. This move diverges from Apple's previous practice of relying on third-party AI models for its iPhones and other devices sold in China, where US-based models like Anthropic's Claude and OpenAI's ChatGPT are unavailable.
Apple Intelligence, the company's AI suite, is set to launch in China following an update to its iOS operating system. This development marks a unique dual-track strategy for Apple in navigating regulatory hurdles and potentially gaining a competitive edge in the Chinese market, where local rivals have made significant strides in AI-powered devices.
The partnership with Alibaba allows Apple to incorporate Alibaba's Qwen model into Apple Intelligence, while also integrating technology from Baidu. Despite the partnership being confirmed in February 2025, the rollout experienced delays as Apple adapted its features to comply with Chinese regulations. Apple Intelligence is expected to offer AI features to iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Vision Pro models sold in China, potentially reshaping the AI ecosystem in the country.
Written by urgent.news from The Business Times - Companies & Markets's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
