Apple Intelligence approved for launch in China with Alibaba and Baidu
TechCrunch AI Sarah Perez ● Covered by 2 sources
Apple Intelligence has been approved for launch in China after the company secured deals to integrate Alibaba's Qwen AI model and partnered with Baidu for localized features. Apple generated $20.5 billion in Greater China sales in the second quarter, up 28% year-over-year, making the market critical for the company's AI expansion. The approval removes the regulatory barrier that delayed Apple Intelligence in China since its 2024 debut, allowing the company to offer AI features through local large language models rather than its own systems.
Why it matters
The deal, which was rumored to be in the works last year, marks an important step for Apple's AI ambitions in a key market.
