Apple Reportedly Built a China-Specific AI Model With Alibaba's Help
Apple has developed a large language model specifically for the Chinese market in collaboration with Alibaba, according to Reuters sources cited by The Verge. Rather than simply licensing an existing Chinese AI system to power Apple Intelligence features locally, as it has done in the past, Apple reportedly worked directly with Alibaba engineers to train the model.
This approach would give Apple tighter control over how its AI features behave and appear on Chinese iPhones, an important distinction in a market where regulators closely scrutinize AI outputs and where Apple has been losing smartphone share to local competitors like Huawei and Xiaomi.
The partnership is notable given the broader US-China tech rivalry, including export controls and rising scrutiny of cross-border AI collaboration. Apple has not officially confirmed details of the arrangement.