Apple's AI platform is finally cleared for one of its most important markets. According to Engadget, Apple Intelligence has received regulatory approval in China, and Apple will reportedly partner with Chinese firms Baidu and Alibaba to roll out the service there.
The deal reflects a reality of doing AI business in China: foreign companies generally cannot run their own generative models in the country and must work through licensed local partners. TechCrunch reports that the long-rumored arrangement will bring Alibaba's Qwen AI models to Apple's operating systems, which it describes as a major expansion of Apple's generative AI platform into a key market.
The two partners appear to handle different jobs. According to Tech Times, Qwen handles language tasks while Baidu handles search — a split that lets Apple offer its features while relying on approved domestic technology.
The wait was long. Tech Times reports the approval came after 22 months, and Financial Express notes it clears the way for a launch on iPhones after months of anticipation. TechCrunch dates the approval to mid-July 2026.
For iPhone users in China, the practical upshot is that Apple Intelligence features can begin appearing on their devices, powered by locally sanctioned models rather than the systems Apple uses elsewhere.
Why it matters: China is one of Apple's largest markets, and getting its AI features approved there — even by leaning on Alibaba and Baidu — removes a competitive gap at a moment when rival smartphones already ship with homegrown AI.