Apple has reportedly trained a custom AI model for China with help from Alibaba. The move is a rare partnership between a US company and a Chinese tech giant. It arrives as tensions keep rising between Washington and Beijing.
The China-focused large language model was built with Alibaba’s support. Reuters reported the news, citing three people familiar with the matter.
This marks a shift in Apple’s approach. The company has used domestic Chinese models to power AI on its devices there. US models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT are not available in China.
Building its own model gives Apple more control. It could help the company compete in the crowded Chinese smartphone market. Apple is preparing to launch Apple Intelligence in China. Sources say the rollout should happen in the coming months after an iOS update.
Apple registered its on-device AI service with China’s cyberspace regulator last month. That step cleared a major regulatory hurdle. Every AI model must be registered and approved by the government before public release in China.
If the effort succeeds, Apple would be the first US company approved to offer its own AI model in China. It would be a major milestone. Apple has already opened its Siri AI to everyone through the iOS 27 public beta elsewhere.
The partnership is notable given the political climate. Both countries have tightened rules around AI development in recent months. Cross-border deals in the field remain uncommon.
Apple did not respond to a request for comment.
Source: The Verge
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