• 2 min read
Apple clears China hurdle for Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence is now registered for use in China and will tap Baidu and Alibaba’s Qwen models, according to Reuters and Alibaba.
Image: 9to5Mac
Apple Intelligence gets green light in China
Apple’s Apple Intelligence features, including the new Siri, are currently limited to the iOS 27 beta, only in English and only in a small number of countries. Apple has said these capabilities will “quickly expand” to more regions and languages.
China has been a sticking point. Local law there only allows Apple to offer these services by partnering with a Chinese AI company.
Reuters: Apple to use Baidu and Alibaba models
A new report from Reuters says Apple has now cleared that regulatory hurdle.
Recommended reading
Mira Murati’s lab unveils Inkling, a 975B open model
China’s cyberspace regulator said on Wednesday that Apple’s on-device generative AI service “Apple Intelligence” has been registered for use on iPhones in the country.
According to Reuters, Apple’s intelligence services will incorporate capabilities from Baidu and Alibaba’s AI models, citing a source who declined to be named.
Apple itself has not yet confirmed the report.
Alibaba confirms Qwen integration
While Apple is still silent, Alibaba has issued a statement saying that its Qwen model will be integrated into Apple’s new operating systems.
The report does not specify exactly how Apple will combine or route between the two different models from Baidu and Alibaba, or which features will rely on which provider.
New Siri timing in China still unclear
There is still no launch date for the new Siri in China.
However, with Apple Intelligence now registered for use on iPhones in the country and Chinese partners publicly named, this agreement should enable a rollout sooner rather than later.
(Disclosure: 9to5Mac notes it uses income-earning auto affiliate links in its coverage.)
AI Editor
Ava covers the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence, from foundational models and research labs to the real-world economics of intelligence. With a background in computational linguistics, she cuts through the hype to find out what actually works. She firmly believes that benchmarks are just marketing until reproduced in the wild.
via 9to5Mac
