August 16, 2026, (Inside AI) — Apple has trained its own large language model specifically for the China market, three people familiar with the matter said. The model was developed with support from Alibaba Group, marking a strategic shift from Apple’s earlier reliance on third-party Chinese models.
The move has not been previously reported. It positions Apple to launch Apple Intelligence in China in the coming months, following an iOS update. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the information is sensitive and not public.
Apple and Alibaba did not respond to requests for comment.
Why Apple Abandoned Its Third-Party Model Strategy
Apple had leaned on domestic partners to bring generative AI to iPhones sold in China. U.S. models such as Anthropic’s Claude and OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which Apple pairs with its own technology in its home market, are not available in China.
Training a China-tailored model gives Apple greater control over the AI experience in its most competitive overseas market. Apple has lost ground to local rivals including Huawei, which has raced ahead with AI-equipped handsets.
The rollout represents a unique dual-track strategy for a foreign firm in China. It allows Apple to navigate steep regulatory hurdles that have limited access for many other U.S. technology firms.
Apple would become the first foreign company approved by Beijing to offer a proprietary AI model in China. This marks a rare collaboration between U.S. and Chinese tech firms amid a widening trade and diplomatic rift over AI.
Regulatory Clearance and a Deleted User Guide
The move follows a lengthy regulatory process that ended last month. The Cyberspace Administration of China registered Apple’s generative AI service, clearing the way for Apple Intelligence to reach Chinese iPhones for the first time.
Under that arrangement, Alibaba’s Qwen model is to be incorporated into the version of Apple Intelligence that ships with compatible iPhone, iPad, Mac and Vision Pro models in China. The service was also set to incorporate technology from Baidu, Reuters reported in July.
Last week, Apple published a Chinese-language guide explaining how eligible Mac users in mainland China could connect Qwen to its Siri digital assistant and Writing Tools feature. Apple has since deleted the guide without providing an explanation.
Alibaba’s U.S.-listed shares climbed about 4% in premarket trading on news of the July registration. Investors expect the tie-up could reshape China’s AI ecosystem.
Apple’s partnership with Alibaba was first confirmed in February 2025. Alibaba chairman Joe Tsai, speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, said Apple would use the Chinese company’s AI to power its phones in China.
“They talked to a number of companies in China. In the end they chose to do business with us,” Joe Tsai, chairman, Alibaba Group
The rollout was subsequently delayed as Apple worked to adapt its features to Chinese regulations.
China remains critical to Apple’s fortunes, accounting for a significant share of its revenue. The absence of AI features on Chinese iPhones had been cited as a factor weighing on sales as consumers gravitated toward domestic brands offering built-in AI assistants.
It was not immediately clear what role Apple’s self-trained model would play alongside third-party Chinese models and how those are working together.
Shamil has a low tolerance for AI that only works in controlled demos. He covers agentic systems and generative AI with the skepticism of someone who has seen too many “revolutionary” tools quietly disappear six months after launch.
