Apple has finally cleared a major roadblock to bringing its artificial-intelligence features to China, after the country’s internet regulator gave the green light on 15 July 2026.
The approval came from the Cyberspace Administration of China, the body that polices online content and technology in the country. It followed a deal to weave Alibaba’s Qwen AI model into Apple’s operating systems, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS and visionOS.
China requires foreign companies to run their AI through approved local partners, so Apple could not simply switch on the same Apple Intelligence tools it offers elsewhere. Alibaba confirmed its Qwen models would be integrated into Apple Intelligence experiences, handling tasks such as text and image understanding and generation.
Apple is not relying on a single partner. Baidu, whose Ernie Bot is one of China’s best-known chatbots, is also working with the iPhone maker on features for Chinese users, adding extra firepower to the rollout.
The clearance arrives nearly 22 months after Apple first promised, at the iPhone 16 launch, that its AI features would come to China subject to regulatory approval. The company has still not announced an official launch date.
China remains a huge market for Apple. It generated $20.5 billion in sales across Greater China in its second quarter, up 28 percent from a year earlier, and recently reclaimed the number-two spot in the country’s smartphone market.
The episode is a reminder that in China, the AI features on your phone depend heavily on local rules and partnerships, not just on what the device maker wants to offer.
Source: TechCrunch.
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