Apple’s deal to bring its AI tools to China finally cleared Beijing’s regulatory hurdles, paving the way for Apple Intelligence to launch in the country. Apple trained its own large language model specifically for Chinese devices, but leaned on Alibaba’s support to pull it off.
Apple’s China AI deal leans on Alibaba
Apple desperately wants to launch Apple Intelligence in China, thinking the AI features will boost slumping sales of Macs and iPhones there. But the country’s ban on U.S. AI companies makes things tricky. Apple previously planned to use Chinese companies’ AI models to power Apple Intelligence.
Reuters on Thursday reported that Apple trained a large language model built specifically for China with Alibaba’s help, citing unnamed sources. Neither company has confirmed the report or responded to requests for comment.
Developing its own China-tailored model gives Apple more say over how its AI actually behaves there. Apple Intelligence should reach Chinese iPhones in the coming months.
The plan pairs Apple’s own AI model with technology from Alibaba. That dual-track approach reportedly helped it clear Chinese regulatory hurdles.
The training effort builds on a partnership that became public in July, when China’s Cyberspace Administration approved Apple’s AI services for the country. Apple reportedly folded Alibaba’s Qwen model into Apple Intelligence across the iPhone, iPad, Mac and Vision Pro.
Apple’s grip on the details has looked shaky at times. Earlier this month, Apple published a Chinese-language guide showing how Mac users could connect Qwen to Siri and Apple Intelligence’s Writing Tools on macOS 26.6 or later. It required users to sign into a Qwen account. Apple has since taken it down without any explanation.
Why this looks like a crack in Apple’s control
Apple prefers to keep every layer of its products in-house, from chips to software to design. But in China, that playbook breaks down a bit.
For instance, Chinese regulators require every public AI model to register with the state. Foreign firms like Apple rarely gain approval to run their own AI models. If Apple’s rollout goes as planned, it would become the first foreign company Beijing has cleared to offer its own AI model.
And the stakes go way beyond regulation. Apple has been losing ground in China’s PC market, with Mac shipments falling 9% year-over-year there in the first quarter to about 800,000 units, according to Omdia. That left Apple with just 9% of the market share, well behind Lenovo’s 31% and Huawei’s 16%.
China also accounts for a good chunk of Apple’s business, and the missing AI features have reportedly been a drag on iPhone sales there.
Alibaba chairman Joe Tsai announced his company’s partnership with Apple in February 2025. He said Apple talked to several Chinese companies before settling on Alibaba.
The Alibaba tie-up isn’t new
When it comes to bringing AI to devices, Apple’s Chinese rivals haven’t waited around. Huawei has been building AI features into its phones for well over a year. As a result, Apple has lost ground to local AI-equipped handsets while Apple Intelligence sits in regulatory limbo.
And Apple’s China AI deal doesn’t sound that different from the company’s Google Gemini hookup to power Siri’s upcoming AI upgrade.
“Apple and Google have entered into a multi-year collaboration under which the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be based on Google’s Gemini models and cloud technology,” the companies said in January. “After careful evaluation, Apple determined that Google’s Al technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models and is excited about the innovative new experiences it will unlock for Apple users.”
That followed more than 18 months of delays as Apple struggled to deliver on the AI promises it made in 2024.
Anurag Chawake is a tech-focused writer specializing in smartphones, apps and consumer technology. His interest in computers began during the Windows 98 era, eventually leading him to explore everything from operating systems to mobile devices and PC hardware. Anurag previously contributed to The Indian Express, covering Apple, Android, gaming and the broader technology landscape.
