Alibaba · Apple · China · ChatGPT · Claude · Decrypt
Apple Turns to Alibaba to Help Build AI Model for China
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★ Tier-1 Source
Apple trained its own AI model for China with Alibaba’s help as it races to bring Apple Intelligence to Chinese customers, Reuters reported.
Key facts
- In May, Apple agreed to pay $250 million to settle claims that it misled iPhone buyers about AI features that were unavailable at launch
- Alibaba Chairman Joe Tsai confirmed the companies’ arrangement in February 2025
- In January, the company said its next-generation Foundation Models would use Google’s Gemini, instead of a proprietary design, following delays and a weak reception for Apple Intelligence
- Apple trained its own AI model for China with Alibaba’s help as it races to bring Apple Intelligence to Chinese customers, Reuters reported
Summary
Apple trained a large language model for China with support from Alibaba, Reuters reported. The deal could make Apple the first foreign company allowed to operate its own proprietary AI model in China. Apple Intelligence is expected to reach Chinese iPhones through an iOS update in the coming months. Citing three people familiar with the matter, the Cyberspace Administration of China registered Apple’s generative AI service last month, clearing a key regulatory hurdle that has kept OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude unavailable in China.