Apple Intelligence Approved for Launch in China Running on Alibaba's Qwen

Apple has secured approval from Chinese authorities to launch its Apple Intelligence platform in the country. What sets the Chinese version of the service apart is that its artificial intelligence features will be powered not by Apple's own model, but by Qwen — a system developed by the Chinese company Alibaba.

A Long Road to the Deal

Reports that Apple was in talks with Alibaba about integrating its AI model into the Chinese version of Apple Intelligence surfaced as far back as last year. At the time the information amounted to little more than rumor, but now the deal has received official confirmation in the form of regulatory approval.

What It Means for Apple

China remains one of Apple's key markets, and the launch of Apple Intelligence in the country is seen as an important milestone in the company's push to realize its artificial intelligence ambitions. The choice to use the local Qwen model rather than Apple's own technology is likely tied to the specifics of China's regulation of AI services, which require working with technologies approved within the country.

Details on exactly which Apple Intelligence features will be available to Chinese users, and precisely when the launch will take place, have yet to be disclosed.

Source: TechCrunch