Apple will integrate Alibaba’s Qwen AI model into Apple Intelligence for users in China, bringing on-device AI capabilities to iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Vision Pro headsets in the country. The integration follows Chinese regulatory approval of seven on-device generative AI services for smartphones.
The approval was announced by China’s Cyberspace Administration, which cleared Apple Intelligence alongside Huawei’s Xiaoyi large language model and Oppo’s AndesGPT for on-device deployment. The regulatory green light means Apple can now offer AI features in China that include text understanding, image analysis, and content generation without switching between apps.
The partnership is significant for Apple, which has faced challenges bringing AI features to the Chinese market due to strict local regulations requiring AI models to be approved before deployment. By partnering with Alibaba, Apple gains access to a locally developed and compliant AI system.
For Alibaba, the deal represents a major enterprise win for its Qwen model family, which has been competing with Baidu’s Ernie and ByteDance’s Doubao in China’s crowded AI market. Apple Intelligence features powered by Qwen will roll out across supported devices in China starting with the next major software updates.
The regulatory approvals mark a milestone for on-device AI in China, where most generative AI services have previously required cloud connectivity.
