Apple is taking a major step to strengthen its artificial intelligence presence in China by training its own AI model specifically for the Chinese market, according to three people familiar with the matter. The move marks a shift from the company’s previous approach of depending mainly on third-party AI models to power features on iPhones and other devices sold in the country.
The China-specific large language model was developed with support from Chinese technology giant Alibaba, the sources said. Apple and Alibaba have not publicly commented on the development. The move comes as Apple prepares to roll out its Apple Intelligence suite in China in the coming months, following regulatory approval for its generative AI service.
Apple has faced a tougher AI environment in China because several major U.S. AI services, including OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude, are unavailable in the market. Instead, Apple has been working with Chinese technology companies, including Alibaba and Baidu, to bring AI capabilities to its devices while meeting Beijing’s regulatory requirements.
Developing its own China-tailored AI model could give Apple greater control over how artificial intelligence works across its products in one of its most important overseas markets. The strategy could also help the company respond to growing competition from Chinese smartphone makers such as Huawei, which have increasingly integrated AI features into their devices and gained ground among local consumers.
The development follows a lengthy regulatory process that cleared Apple’s generative AI service for use in China last month. While Alibaba’s Qwen model is expected to be part of Apple Intelligence in China, it remains unclear exactly how Apple’s newly trained model will work alongside third-party Chinese AI systems. For Apple, the push into locally tailored AI could prove crucial as the company looks to regain momentum in China’s fiercely competitive smartphone market while navigating the complex technology and regulatory relationship between the United States and China.
source: Reuters
