tech
Apple Intelligence approved for launch in China with Alibaba and Baidu
The deal, which was rumored to be in the works last year, marks an important step for Apple's AI ambitions in a key market.
TL;DR
- Apple Intelligence has been approved for launch in China by the Cyberspace Administration of China.
- The launch includes a deal to integrate Alibaba's Qwen AI model into Apple's operating systems (iOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOS).
- Apple is also working with Baidu to develop Apple Intelligence features for Chinese users.
- The company is reportedly exploring integrations with DeepSeek and ByteDance as well.
- Apple generated $20.5 billion in sales in Greater China in the second quarter, a 28% increase year-over-year.
- Apple recently regained its No. 2 position in China's smartphone market.
- Alibaba confirmed its Qwen models will be integrated into Apple Intelligence experiences, enabling capabilities like text and image understanding and generation.