Wait is over. Apple Intelligence is coming to China.
On Wednesday, the Cyberspace Administration of the China (CACC) gave the thumbs up. Apple can launch its generative AI features now. This didn’t happen in a vacuum though. It hinges on a deal with local heavyweights. Alibaba and Baidu are the partners.
Alibaba brings Qwen. Baidu is also on board.
Reuters broke the news first. Alibaba’s Qwen model is the backbone for this rollout. It’s baked into the OS—iOS, iPadOS, macOS, even visionOS. Apple needs these models. Chinese regulators won’t let foreign AI run wild without local guardrails and partnerships. It’s the way of the game here.
By Wednesday evening, Baidu confirmed it too. A spokesperson told TechCrunch they’re developing specific features for Chinese users alongside Apple.
It’s been a long wait for this feature, which debuted elsewhere in 2024. Regulatory hurdles delayed it in China. Now those hurdles are cleared, sort of. Or at least lowered.
The market matters. Apple made $20.5 billion in Greater China in the second quarter alone. That’s up 28% year over year. The company recently slid back to the No. 2 spot in smartphones too, thanks to aggressive discounting during shopping festivals. They can’t afford to be left behind on AI while selling iPhones.
Alibaba confirmed the news to CNBC, keeping it brief. Their Qwen models will power “Apple Intelligence experiences.” Specifically text and image generation and understanding. No specific launch date attached though. Just a vague “it’s happening.”
There were rumors before about struggles adapting Apple’s own models for Chinese audiences. That explains the pivot to local partners. Apple isn’t done shopping around either. Reports say they’re eyeing deals with DeepSeek and ByteDance too.
Who wins? Apple gets access to the world’s largest consumer market for AI features. Local tech giants get prestige association and integration into the most coveted hardware in China.
Is this the final version of the story? Probably not. Apple plays the long game, especially in China.
This was updated July 16 to include Baidu’s confirmation.
