Apple has cleared a key regulatory hurdle to roll out its generative AI features in China, one of the company’s most important markets. China’s cyberspace regulator said on Wednesday that Apple Intelligence, the company’s on-device AI service, has been registered for use on iPhones in the country, Reuters reported.
Apple Intelligence was launched in 2024 but has taken years to gain Beijing’s clearance. The suite of AI tools has changed significantly over that time as the US company switched foundation models, rebuilding its suite atop Alphabet Inc.’s Google Gemini models.
After a long wait, Cyberspace Administration of China added Apple’s generative AI services to its list of newly approved providers, placing the iPhone maker alongside Chinese companies such as Huawei Technologies and Xiaomi Corp.
Alibaba’s Qwen AI to power Apple Intelligence in China
Apple’s intelligence services in China will incorporate capabilities from AI models developed by Baidu and , the news agency reported, citing a source familiar with the matter.
Separately, Alibaba said in a statement to the news agency that Alibaba’s Qwen AI will be integrated into Apple Intelligence for users in China. This integration will happen within iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS.
The official statement, however, did not give a date when Apple Intelligence will be rolled out on iPhones sold in China.
The approval also paves the way for Apple to introduce its AI features to Chinese users, where foreign AI services are subject to strict regulatory scrutiny.
Artificial intelligence is widely seen as a key differentiator for Apple’s latest devices, making advanced important for boosting their appeal and competitiveness. The regulatory approval signifies a substantive breakthrough in Apple’s nearly two-year effort to bring AI features to the Chinese market, according to a report by Hong Kong-based news agency Futubull.
Alibaba, Apple shares rise in premarket trade
Shares of Alibaba Group on the US stock exchange climbed nearly 5% in premarket trading after Chinese regulators cleared Apple’s on-device artificial intelligence system for release in the country.
Meanwhile, shares gained close to 1% in the pre-open trade.
Apple reported a 24.4% year-on-year increase in its shipments in China in the second quarter.
The approval comes after Apple’s outgoing chief executive officer Tim Cook joined US President Donald Trump’s business delegation during a visit to Beijing in May. Set to handover the reins to John Ternus in September, Cook has continued to nurture Apple’s relationship with China over the years despite rising tensions between Washington and Beijing over tariffs and technology export controls, Bloomberg News reported.