Apple Intelligence is poised to reach iPhones in mainland China, after regulators reportedly cleared the use of Alibaba AI models to power the feature. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has approved Tongyi Qianwen, the group of large language models better known as Qwen, along with the Tongyi Wanxiang AI-generated image and video tool, according to the South China Morning Post. The newspaper is owned by the Alibaba Group.
The approval matters for a feature that has been slow to arrive in China. Apple received clearance to roll out Apple Intelligence on the Chinese mainland in July, but the Post reports the company has not yet switched it on. The latest filings include network access permits for the iPhone Duo and iPhone 18 Pro. The iPhone Duo is set to go on sale in China next week, and the new Siri AI is one of its flagship software features.
Much of Apple Intelligence is already available in Hong Kong. On the mainland, however, the country's complex AI and privacy rules have forced Apple to move carefully. The feature set is now a core part of the iPhone experience, and China is one of the company's fastest-growing markets.
The timing is notable. Apple Intelligence launched in the United States almost exactly two years ago. There, Apple has worked with both Google and OpenAI to train its models and to hand off complex questions to outside systems. The China version will rely on a different partner.
Reports that Apple would work with Chinese AI companies to bring its technology to the country first surfaced in early 2025, and Alibaba was named at the time. Over the summer, it was confirmed that Qwen would be central to Apple Intelligence on compatible iPhone, iPad, Mac and Vision Pro models sold to Chinese customers.
The Post's report does not say when Apple Intelligence will become available to users on the mainland, beyond the iPhone Duo's launch timing.
Cet article a été rédigé avec l'assistance de l'IA.
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