Apple has trained a large language model specifically for the Chinese market with support from Alibaba, Reuters reported on Friday, marking a shift from its previous reliance on third-party models as it prepares to launch Apple Intelligence in China in the coming months.
Three people familiar with the matter said Apple developed the China-specific model in partnership with Alibaba and used the Chinese technology group’s support during training. The sources declined to be named because the information is sensitive and has not been made public.
The development gives Apple greater control over the AI experience on devices sold in China, where US-developed models including OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude are unavailable. Apple has instead relied on domestic technology partners to provide generative AI capabilities for its products in the country.
Apple’s China rollout follows a regulatory process that concluded last month when the Cyberspace Administration of China registered its generative AI service. The approval clears the way for Apple Intelligence to become available on compatible iPhone, iPad, Mac and Vision Pro devices in China for the first time.
Alibaba’s Qwen model is expected to be incorporated into the Chinese version of Apple Intelligence, while Baidu technology is also expected to feature in the service. Apple published a Chinese-language guide last week explaining how eligible Mac users could connect Qwen to Siri and Writing Tools, but subsequently removed the guide without explaining why.
The China-specific model would give Apple a different approach from its strategy in other markets, where it has combined its own technology with external models such as ChatGPT. Reuters reported that the move could make Apple the first foreign company approved by Beijing to offer a proprietary AI model in China.
Apple has been under pressure to strengthen its position in China as domestic manufacturers have expanded their AI capabilities. The absence of Apple Intelligence on Chinese iPhones has been cited as one factor weighing on sales as consumers have increasingly had access to AI assistants from local competitors such as Huawei.
Alibaba chairman Joe Tsai confirmed the companies’ AI partnership in February 2025 while speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai. Tsai said: “They talked to a number of companies in China. In the end they chose to do business with us.”
The role of Apple’s own model alongside Qwen and other third-party systems remains unclear. Apple and Alibaba did not respond to Reuters requests for comment, while Apple Intelligence is expected to launch in China following an iOS update in the coming months.
