Apple Intelligence Cleared for China With Alibaba and Baidu
China’s internet regulator has approved Apple Intelligence for the market, with Alibaba’s Qwen set for integration and Baidu developing features for Chinese users.
Apple has spent more than a year introducing its AI future everywhere except one of its most important markets. That pause now appears to be ending: Apple Intelligence has received approval to launch in China, with Alibaba and Baidu helping adapt the service for Chinese users.
China clears Apple Intelligence
Reuters reported that China’s Cyberspace Administration approved Apple’s AI services following a deal to integrate Alibaba’s Qwen model into Apple’s operating systems, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS and visionOS. Alibaba said its models would be integrated into Apple Intelligence experiences, supporting functions such as text and image understanding and generation. No launch timetable was provided.
Baidu is also working with Apple on developing Apple Intelligence features for Chinese users, according to a company spokesperson. The partnership had previously been rumored, alongside Apple’s reported exploration of integrations with DeepSeek and ByteDance.
Why the delay mattered
Apple Intelligence debuted in 2024, but its features were delayed in China because they lacked regulatory approval. The issue was not simply whether Apple had an AI product. It was whether that product could operate inside China’s regulatory and technical environment — a space where local partnerships are not an optional detail but part of the route to market.
The Alibaba and Baidu partnerships show how Apple is adapting Apple Intelligence for China’s regulatory and technical environment. Alibaba’s Qwen will be integrated into Apple Intelligence experiences, while Baidu is developing features for Chinese users.
A high-stakes market for Apple
The timing is important. Apple generated $20.5 billion in sales in Greater China in its second quarter, up 28% from a year earlier. The company also recently regained the No. 2 position in China’s smartphone market after discounts on its iPhone lineup during a shopping festival.
For Apple, the approval removes a major regulatory obstacle in one of its largest markets, although no launch date has been announced.
Source: TechCrunch
