Apple has reportedly trained a custom AI model for the China market alongside domestic tech giant Alibaba, a rare cross-border partnership amid growing US-China tensions. The China-focused large language model was developed with Alibaba's support, according to three unnamed sources familiar with the matter cited by Reuters.
This marks a departure from Apple's previous strategy in China, where it historically relied on domestic Chinese models for generative AI features since US models like ChatGPT aren't available there. The custom model would give Apple more control over its products in the competitive Chinese smartphone market and help navigate Beijing's difficult regulatory landscape, as AI models must be registered with and cleared by China's government before public release.
Apple officially registered the on-device generative AI service with China's cyberspace regulator last month, clearing a major regulatory hurdle. According to Reuters, Apple Intelligence in China is expected to roll out "in the coming months after an update to its iOS operating system." If successful, Apple would become the first US company approved to offer a proprietary AI model in China.