AIBRIEF
Apple's AI suite will run on licensed Chinese models in a market that delivered $20.5B in Q2 sales, nearly two years after the features debuted elsewhere.
Apple Intelligence cleared China's internet regulator on Wednesday, the Cyberspace Administration of China announced, opening the door for the AI suite to reach Chinese iPhones, iPads and Macs for the first time. The approval lands almost two years after Apple Intelligence debuted in 2024 elsewhere.
The Chinese version will not run Apple's own models. Alibaba told CNBC its Qwen AI models will be integrated into Apple Intelligence experiences on iOS, iPadOS, macOS and visionOS, handling capabilities including text and image understanding and generation. A Baidu spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch the company is also working on Apple Intelligence features for Chinese users. Neither Alibaba nor Apple has named a specific Qwen variant or a launch date.
The business stakes are concrete. Apple generated $20.5 billion in Greater China sales in Q2, up 28% year-over-year, and recently reclaimed the No. 2 spot in China's smartphone market after a discount-driven shopping festival. Apple Intelligence has been absent from that picture since 2024, held up by the approval process.
TechCrunch reports Apple is also said to be exploring integrations with DeepSeek and ByteDance, though no deals have been confirmed.