Apple trains China AI model with Alibaba
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- Apple trained a custom large language model for the China market alongside Alibaba, according to Reuters citing three unnamed sources familiar with the matter
- The partnership marks a departure from Apple's previous China strategy of using domestic Chinese models — US models like OpenAI's ChatGPT are unavailable in the country
- Apple registered its on-device generative AI service with China's cyberspace regulator last month, clearing a major regulatory hurdle for rollout
- Apple Intelligence in China is expected to launch "in the coming months" after an iOS update, per sources cited by Reuters
- If approved, Apple would become the first US company to offer a proprietary AI model in China, giving it more control over its products in the competitive Chinese smartphone market
Why it matters: Apple gains direct control over its generative AI offering in China rather than relying on third-party domestic models, and the regulatory clearance from China's cyberspace regulator clears a concrete path for a rollout "in the coming months" — a notable advantage in a market where US AI services are blocked entirely.
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