Apple Develops China-Specific AI Model As It Prepares Apple Intelligence Launch

Apple has trained a large language model specifically for the Chinese market with support from Alibaba, three people familiar with the matter said, marking a shift from the iPhone maker’s previous strategy of relying primarily on third-party models for its AI features in China.

The model was developed in partnership with Alibaba Group, with the Chinese technology company providing support during the training process, according to the sources, who requested anonymity because the information is not public, Reuters reported.

Apple’s development of its own China-specific model has not previously been reported. The company had previously relied on models from Chinese technology partners to bring generative AI features to iPhones and other devices sold in China, where US services such as Anthropic’s Claude and OpenAI’s ChatGPT are unavailable.

Apple Intelligence, the company’s suite of AI features, is expected to launch in China in the coming months following an update to Apple’s iOS operating system, according to the sources. Developing a model tailored specifically to China could give Apple greater control over its AI offering in one of its most important overseas markets. The company has lost ground to domestic competitors such as Huawei, which have moved quickly to introduce AI-enabled smartphones.