Apple has reportedly trained a bespoke AI model for the China market in partnership with domestic technology giant Alibaba, a rare cross-border collaboration that spans the growing tensions between Beijing and Washington.
The China-focused large language model was developed together with Alibaba and trained with the company’s support, according to reports citing three people familiar with the matter. Creating a custom model of its own represents a shift from Apple’s previous approach in the country, and would grant the company greater control over its products within the highly competitive Chinese smartphone market.
Historically, Apple has relied on domestic Chinese models to bring generative AI to devices sold there, since the US systems it uses elsewhere, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, are not available in the region.
Apple Intelligence prepares for a Chinese launch
The development arrives as Apple prepares to release Apple Intelligence in China. Sources indicated this should take place in the coming months, following an update to the iOS operating system. Apple officially registered the on-device generative AI service with China’s cyberspace regulator last month, clearing a significant regulatory hurdle ahead of the device rollout.
AI models must be registered with and approved by the government in China before any public release. The China-focused model therefore gives Apple an advantage as a US company navigating Beijing’s demanding regulatory environment, particularly amid escalating tensions surrounding AI development in recent months.
A first for a US company in China
The move would also make Apple the first US company approved to offer a proprietary AI model in China. For a firm operating across two markets with increasingly strained relations, the arrangement offers a route to deliver generative AI features on its devices while remaining compliant with local rules.
By building its own system rather than depending solely on third-party domestic models, Apple stands to tighten its grip on how its software performs for Chinese customers. The company registered the on-device generative AI service with China’s cyberspace regulator last month.
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