Apple has trained a large language model specifically for the Chinese market with support from Alibaba, three people familiar with the matter said, marking a shift from the iPhone maker’s previous strategy of relying primarily on third-party models for its AI features in China.
The model was developed in partnership with Alibaba Group, with the Chinese technology company providing support during the training process, according to the sources, who requested anonymity because the information is not public, Reuters reported.
Apple’s development of its own China-specific model has not previously been reported. The company had previously relied on models from Chinese technology partners to bring generative AI features to iPhones and other devices sold in China, where US services such as Anthropic’s Claude and OpenAI’s ChatGPT are unavailable.
Apple Intelligence, the company’s suite of AI features, is expected to launch in China in the coming months following an update to Apple’s iOS operating system, according to the sources. Developing a model tailored specifically to China could give Apple greater control over its AI offering in one of its most important overseas markets. The company has lost ground to domestic competitors such as Huawei, which have moved quickly to introduce AI-enabled smartphones.
Apple’s planned approach would represent a distinctive dual-track strategy for a foreign technology company operating in China, allowing it to navigate the country’s strict regulatory requirements while maintaining greater control over its AI technology. The rollout would also mark a rare collaboration between US and Chinese technology companies amid growing trade and diplomatic tensions between the two countries, particularly over artificial intelligence.
The development follows a lengthy regulatory process that concluded last month when China’s Cyberspace Administration registered Apple’s generative AI service, clearing the way for Apple Intelligence to become available on Chinese iPhones for the first time. Under the arrangement, Alibaba’s Qwen model is expected to be incorporated into the Chinese version of Apple Intelligence for compatible iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro devices. The service is also expected to incorporate technology from Baidu.
Last week, Apple published a Chinese-language guide explaining how eligible Mac users in mainland China could connect Alibaba’s Qwen service to Siri and Apple’s Writing Tools feature. The Mac-specific arrangement could help Apple compete in China’s growing AI PC market. Apple subsequently removed the guide without explaining why.
Apple’s partnership with Alibaba was first confirmed in February 2025, when Alibaba Chairman Joe Tsai said at the World Governments Summit in Dubai that Apple would use his company’s AI technology to power its devices in China. The rollout was later delayed as Apple worked to adapt its AI features to Chinese regulatory requirements. China remains a crucial market for Apple, accounting for a significant share of the company’s revenue. The lack of Apple Intelligence features on iPhones sold in China has been cited as one factor affecting sales as consumers increasingly turn to domestic brands offering built-in AI assistants.
It remains unclear what role Apple’s internally trained model will play alongside third-party Chinese models, including how the different systems will operate together.
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