Apple Is Training Its Own AI Model For The China Market

Apple has trained a large language model specifically for the China market, three people familiar with the matter said, marking a shift for the iPhone maker as it has relied on third-party models to power AI features in the country.

The AI model was developed in partnership with Alibaba Group (9988.HK) and trained with support from the Chinese technology giant, the people said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the information is sensitive and not public.

Apple’s training of its own China-specific model has not previously been reported. The company had leaned toward domestic partners’ models to bring generative AI to iPhones and other devices sold in China, where U.S. models such as Anthropic’s Claude and OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which Apple pairs with its own technology in its home market, are not available.

Apple Intelligence, the company’s suite of AI tools, is expected to launch in China in the coming months following an update to its iOS operating system, the people said.

A China-tailored model of its own would give Apple greater control over the AI experience in its most competitive overseas market, where it has lost ground to local rivals including Huawei that have raced ahead with AI-equipped handsets.

Apple’s planned rollout represents a unique dual-track strategy for a foreign firm deploying AI in China, allowing it to navigate regulatory hurdles that have limited access for many other U.S. technology companies.

It would also make Apple the first foreign company approved by Beijing to offer a proprietary AI model in China, marking a rare collaboration between U.S. and Chinese technology firms amid widening trade and diplomatic tensions between the two countries over AI.

The move follows a lengthy regulatory process that ended last month, when the Cyberspace Administration of China, the country’s internet watchdog, registered Apple’s generative AI service, clearing the way for Apple Intelligence to reach Chinese iPhones for the first time.

Under the arrangement, Alibaba’s Qwen model is to be incorporated into the version of Apple Intelligence that ships with compatible iPhone, iPad, Mac and Vision Pro models in China. The service was also set to incorporate technology from Baidu, Reuters reported in July.

Last week, Apple published a Chinese-language guide explaining how eligible Mac users in mainland China could connect Qwen to its Siri digital assistant and Writing Tools feature, a Mac-specific arrangement that could help it compete in China’s AI PC market. Apple has since deleted the guide without providing an explanation.

Alibaba’s U.S.-listed shares climbed about 4% in premarket trading on news of the July registration, underscoring investor expectations that the tie-up could reshape China’s AI ecosystem.

Apple’s partnership with Alibaba was first confirmed in February 2025, when Alibaba Chairman Joe Tsai, speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, said Apple would use the Chinese company’s AI to power its phones in China.

“They talked to a number of companies in China. In the end they chose to do business with us,” Tsai said at the time.

The rollout was subsequently delayed as Apple worked to adapt its features to Chinese regulations.

China remains critical to Apple’s fortunes, accounting for a significant share of its revenue. The absence of AI features on Chinese iPhones had been cited as a factor weighing on sales as consumers gravitated toward domestic brands offering built-in AI assistants.

It was not immediately clear what role Apple’s self-trained model would play alongside third-party Chinese models or how the different models would work together.

Stay ahead of the Stories shaping our world. Subscribe to Impact Newswire and join our 
WhatsApp Channel for updates on global tech, business, and innovation—all in one place.

Dive deeper into the future with the Cause Effect 4.0 Podcast, where we explore the ideas, trends, and technologies driving the global AI conversation.

Got a story to share? Contact Us to reach a global audience with Impact Newswire.