Apple Intelligence, the generative AI system from the iPhone maker, is set to launch in China following regulatory approval. On Wednesday, Reuters reported that the Cyberspace Administration of China gave the green light for Apple's AI services in the country. The approval comes after a deal to integrate Alibaba's Qwen AI model into Apple's operating systems, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS.
Later on Wednesday evening, a Baidu spokesperson reached out to TechCrunch to confirm that Baidu is also collaborating with Apple on Apple Intelligence features for Chinese iPhone users.
A Key Market Move
Partnership Details
Apple had been rumored to be exploring a deal with Baidu, but earlier reports suggested the company faced challenges adapting its models for Chinese customers. Baidu's statement indicates that the partnership is still active. Apple also looked into integrations with DeepSeek and models from ByteDance, according to reports. These explorations contributed to delays in bringing Apple Intelligence features, which first launched in 2024, to the Chinese market.
Alibaba earlier confirmed the news to CNBC in a statement, saying that Qwen would be "integrated into Apple Intelligence experiences." The company did not provide a specific timeline. It also stated that the integrations would include AI capabilities such as "text and image understanding and generation."
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Background Context
The original version of this article was published on July 15. It was updated on Thursday, July 16, with the statement from Baidu.
Apple Intelligence is Apple's generative AI offering that was first introduced in 2024. The system is designed to provide AI-powered features across Apple's ecosystem. China is a significant market for Apple, and gaining approval for AI services there is crucial for the company's global AI ambitions.
Alibaba's Qwen is a large language model developed by the Chinese e-commerce and technology giant. Baidu, another major Chinese tech company, has its own AI models and has been working with Apple on AI features for the Chinese market.
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