Apple Builds Its Own AI Model for China With Alibaba’s Help
Quick Read
- Apple has built its own large language model specifically for the China market, according to Reuters sources
- The model was developed with support from Alibaba Group
- It marks a shift from Apple’s past reliance on third-party AI models in China
- Apple becomes the first foreign company to get regulatory clearance for a proprietary AI model in China
- Rollout of Apple Intelligence in China is expected soon
Apple has quietly built its own AI model for China, according to three people familiar with the matter who spoke to Reuters. This marks a major shift for the company, which had relied on models built by local Chinese partners to power AI features on iPhones sold in the country since the AI model was developed in partnership with Alibaba Group and trained with the Chinese tech giant’s support.
The new Apple AI model for China hasn’t been previously reported, and the sources asked not to be named because the information isn’t public yet. Apple normally leans on domestic partners’ models to bring generative AI to iPhones and other devices sold in China, where U.S. models like Anthropic’s Claude and OpenAI’s ChatGPT are unavailable.
Apple’s relationship with Alibaba goes back to February 2025, when Alibaba chairman Joe Tsai announced at the World Governments Summit in Dubai that Apple would use Alibaba’s AI to power its phones in China, noting that Apple had spoken with several companies before choosing to work with Alibaba. That rollout hit delays as Apple worked through China’s regulatory requirements.
China is a Make-or-Break Market for Apple.
The country accounts for a significant share of Apple’s revenue, and the lack of AI features on Chinese iPhones has reportedly hurt sales as buyers turned to local brands with built-in AI assistants like Huawei’s.
It’s still unclear exactly how Apple’s homegrown model will work alongside Alibaba’s Qwen system. One earlier report suggested Alibaba’s AI might act more as a content-moderation layer rather than powering every feature directly, per Recode China AI’s newsletter.
Apple and Alibaba have not responded to requests for comment on the matter. If confirmed, this positions Apple as the first foreign tech company to secure approval for a self-made AI model inside China a notable win given the country’s tight grip on AI development and data.
