Apple Trains Proprietary AI Model for China Market With Alibaba, Becoming First Foreign Firm Approved

EXCLUSIVE: Apple trains its own AI model for China market with Alibaba's support, sources say

Aug 14 (Reuters) - Apple (AAPL.O), opens new tab has trained a large language model specifically for the China market, three people familiar with the matter said, a departure from the iPhone maker's strategy of relying on third-party models to power AI features in the country. The AI model was developed in partnership with Alibaba Group (9988.HK), opens new tab and trained with the Chinese tech giant's support, the people said, declining to be named as the information is sensitive and not public. Apple's training of its own China-specific model has not been reported before. The company had previously leaned towards 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 and Alibaba did not respond to requests for comment. Apple Intelligence, the ⁠company's suite of AI tools, is expected to launch in China in the coming months after 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 on AI deployment for a foreign firm in China, which would allow it to navigate steep regulatory hurdles that have limited access for many other U.S. technology firms. It would also make Apple the first foreign company approved by Beijing to offer a proprietary AI model in China, marking a rare collaboration by U.S. and Chinese tech firms amid a widening trade and diplomatic rift between the two countries over AI. REGULATORY HURDLES CLEARED BUT UNCERTAINTY REMAINS 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 that 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, and 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 LOOKS TO AI FOR BOOST IN CHINA 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 and how those are working together. Reporting by Reuters staff; Editing by Eduardo Baptista and Sam Holmes Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Apple trained its own AI model for China, and handed the brain to Alibaba

The most controlling company in tech has built a China-only model to Beijing's rules, then leaned on Alibaba and Baidu for the parts that matter most. Apple has trained its own large language model for the Chinese market with Alibaba's support, a striking break from the company's usual habit of leaning on other people's models. According to a Reuters report, Apple is the first foreign firm Beijing has approved to offer a proprietary AI model in mainland China, a rare concession in a market that guards its algorithms closely. The model will power Apple Intelligence on the iPhone, iPad, Mac and Vision Pro sold in China, with a rollout expected in the coming months. It is the payoff of a partnership that Alibaba chairman Joe Tsai confirmed publicly back in February 2025, and that has taken most of the time since to clear the country's regulators. For a company that prizes control over every layer of its products, the arrangement is a curious one. Apple has trained the model, but the intelligence underneath is not entirely its own. This is the same firm that has been quietly testing Chinese memory chips as the global component crunch bites, and it is now making a similar bet on Chinese software. The division of labour is telling. Alibaba's Qwen model is folded into the Chinese version of Apple Intelligence, while Baidu's technology handles search. In other words, the two features users lean on most, the assistant that answers questions and the search that finds things, are powered by China's own champions rather than by Cupertino. For a firm that famously builds its own chips, designs its own software and resists outside dependencies wherever it can, that is quite the reversal. Regulatory reality explains the compromise. China's AI rules are strict, its censorship requirements stricter still, and every generative model offered to the public must be registered with the state. The Cyberspace Administration of China logged Apple's service in July 2026, roughly 22 months after Apple Intelligence first launched elsewhere, a delay that speaks to how carefully Beijing vets foreign technology. There is a competitive edge to it too. Domestic rivals have not waited around, and Huawei's AI-equipped phones have clawed back ground while Apple's assistant sat in regulatory limbo. Building a China-specific model, tuned to local rules and local partners, is Apple's way of recovering some of that lost momentum. The awkwardness of the position occasionally shows. Apple briefly published, then quietly deleted, a Chinese-language guide explaining how to connect Qwen to Siri and its Writing Tools, a small stumble that hinted at just how sensitive the choreography around this launch has become. Alibaba's US-listed shares rose about 4% after the July approval, and the stock has become a proxy for the idea that Qwen running inside Apple Intelligence is worth real money. The deal also lands in the middle of a wider argument about how far Western firms should entangle themselves with Chinese AI. Even Mark Zuckerberg has argued the US should not block Chinese AI models, though plenty in Washington take the opposite view and see any tie to Chinese models as a security risk to be contained rather than a market to be served. Apple knows the terrain. American lawmakers have already warned the company off Chinese memory chips on national-security grounds, and a home-grown Chinese AI model, however cleverly framed, is unlikely to escape similar scrutiny. For now, the story is less about a single model than about a template. Apple, the arch-controller of its own ecosystem, has outsourced the brain of its China AI to Alibaba and Baidu and built the rest to Beijing's specifications. It is a concession dressed up as a strategy, and a fairly clear illustration of the terms on which Western tech is allowed to operate inside China's walled garden. Whether rival firms read it as a warning or a manual may prove the more interesting question.

Apple AI model China: Apple trains its own AI model for China market with Alibaba's support

The AI model was developed in partnership with Alibaba Group and trained with the Chinese tech giant's support, the people said, declining to be named as the information is sensitive and not public. Apple has trained a large language model specifically for the China market, three people familiar with the matter said, a departure from the iPhone maker's strategy of relying on third-party models to power AI features in the country. The AI model was developed in partnership with Alibaba Group and trained with the Chinese tech giant's support, the people said, declining to be named as the information is sensitive and not public. Apple's training of its own China-specific model has not been reported before. The company had previously leaned towards 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 and Alibaba did not respond to requests for comment. Apple Intelligence, the company's suite of AI tools, is expected to launch in China in the coming months after 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 on AI deployment for a foreign firm in China, which would allow it to navigate steep ⁠regulatory hurdles that have limited access for many other U.S. technology firms. It would also make Apple the first foreign company approved by Beijing to offer a proprietary AI model in China, marking a rare collaboration by U.S. and Chinese tech firms amid ⁠a widening trade and diplomatic rift between the two countries over AI. REGULATORY HURDLES CLEARED BUT UNCERTAINTY REMAINS 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 that 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, and 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 LOOKS TO AI FOR BOOST IN CHINA 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 and how those are working together. (Reporting by Reuters staff; Editing by Eduardo Baptista and Sam Holmes)

Apple Makes Major AI Strategy Shift in China, Trains Own LLM With Alibaba in Bid to Counter Huawei: Repor

The AI model will fuel Apple's AI toolkit, Apple Intelligence, which is slated to debut in China in the coming months following an iOS update, Reuters reported on Friday. The rollout could coincide with new iPhone launches in September, according to previous reports. Apple and Alibaba did not immediately respond to Benzinga's request for comments. Apple Shifts Strategy This is the first time that Apple is training its own China-specific AI model, rather than relying solely on local partners. This aims to bring generative AI features to Chinese iPhones, where ChatGPT and Claude are unavailable, according to the report. This model will provide Apple with greater control over the AI experience in its most fiercely contested overseas market, where it has been losing traction to local competitors like Huawei. Reuters also reported that earlier this month, Apple published, then deleted, a guide showing eligible Mac users in China how to connect Alibaba's Qwen AI with Siri and Writing Tools, potentially boosting its position in China's AI PC market. Apple's strategy signifies a distinctive dual-track approach to AI implementation for a foreign company in China. This tactic could also aid Apple in circumventing the regulatory hurdles that have hindered many other U.S. tech firms in China. Moreover, it could position Apple as the first foreign company to receive Beijing's approval to offer a proprietary AI model in the country. China Gives Approval After 2 Years China requires generative AI services to undergo registration and content compliance checks before public release. Apple Intelligence's brief appearance on Chinese iPhones in March had triggered greater regulatory scrutiny, though Apple has yet to announce an official launch date. Meanwhile, in July, Alibaba also announced that Qwen3.8 Max-Preview, the most potent model in its Qwen family, is available through its Token Plan subscription service and its Qoder and QoderWork agentic platforms. The model, which boasts 2.4 trillion parameters, is considered comparable to leading frontier AI models, second only to Anthropic's Claude Fable 5. Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Photo Courtesy: FotoField on Shutterstock Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs To add Benzinga News as your preferred source on Google, click here.

Apple trains its own AI model for China market with Alibaba's support, sources say

Apple has trained a large language model specifically for the China market, three people familiar with the matter said, a departure from the iPhone maker's strategy of relying on third-party models to power AI features in the country. The AI model was developed in partnership with Alibaba Group and trained with the Chinese tech giant's support, the people said, declining to be named as the information is sensitive and not public. Apple's training of its own China-specific model has not been reported before. The company had previously 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 trains own AI model for China with Alibaba support, Reuters reports By Investing.com

Investing.com -- Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) has trained a large language model specifically for the Chinese market with support from Alibaba (HK:9988), Reuters reported on Friday, marking a shift from the iPhone maker's earlier reliance on domestic third-party AI models in China. The move could give Apple greater control over its AI offerings in China as it prepares to roll out Apple Intelligence in the country, while helping it navigate strict local regulations and growing competition from Chinese smartphone makers such as Huawei. Three people familiar with the matter told Reuters that Apple developed the China-specific model in partnership with Alibaba. Apple had previously planned to rely on models from Chinese technology companies to support Apple Intelligence in the country. Under an arrangement approved by China's Cyberspace Administration last month, Alibaba's Qwen model is expected to be incorporated into Apple Intelligence on compatible iPhones, iPads, Macs and Vision Pro devices in China. Baidu technology is also expected to be included, Reuters reported. Apple's own model would give the company a dual-track approach in China. It could combine proprietary technology with locally approved third-party systems to meet regulatory requirements while retaining greater control over the user experience. Apple Intelligence is expected to launch in China in the coming months following the regulatory approval. Apple has already begun testing aspects of the partnership, including allowing eligible Mac users in mainland China to connect Alibaba's Qwen service to Siri and Writing Tools. The AI push comes as Apple seeks to regain momentum in China, where local smartphone brands have moved more quickly to integrate AI features into their devices. The lack of Apple Intelligence on Chinese iPhones has been cited as one factor weighing on Apple's competitiveness in the market. The role Apple's self-trained model will ultimately play alongside Alibaba's Qwen and other third-party systems remains unclear, Reuters said.

Apple trains its own AI model for China market with Alibaba's support, sources say

Aug 14 (Reuters) - Apple has trained a large language model specifically for the China market, three people familiar with the matter said, a departure from the iPhone maker's strategy of relying on third-party models to power AI features in the country. The AI model was developed in partnership with Alibaba Group and trained with the Chinese tech giant's support, the people said, declining to be named as the information is sensitive and not public. Apple's training of its own China-specific model has not been reported before. The company had previously leaned towards 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 and Alibaba did not respond to requests for comment. Apple Intelligence, the company's suite of AI tools, is expected to launch in China in the coming months after 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 on AI deployment for a foreign firm in China, which would allow it to navigate steep regulatory hurdles that have limited access for many other U.S. technology firms. It would also make Apple the first foreign company approved by Beijing to offer a proprietary AI model in China, marking a rare collaboration by U.S. and Chinese tech firms amid a widening trade and diplomatic rift between the two countries over AI. REGULATORY HURDLES CLEARED BUT UNCERTAINTY REMAINS 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 that 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, and 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 LOOKS TO AI FOR BOOST IN CHINA 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 and how those are working together. (Reporting by Reuters staff; Editing by Eduardo Baptista and Sam Holmes)