Apple Intelligence is coming to China after regulators approved the service in July 2026, clearing the way for a partnership that will bring Alibaba’s Qwen AI models to Apple’s operating systems.
China’s Cyberspace Administration approved Apple’s AI services following a deal to integrate Alibaba’s Qwen AI into iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS. Reuters first reported the regulatory approval on Wednesday. Alibaba confirmed the arrangement to CNBC, stating that Qwen would be “integrated into Apple Intelligence experiences” and that the integration would involve AI capabilities including “text and image understanding and generation.” The company did not provide a specific launch timeframe.
The deal had been rumored for some time. Before settling on Alibaba, Apple reportedly explored partnerships with Baidu, DeepSeek, and ByteDance, but encountered difficulties adapting those models for Chinese customers. Those challenges contributed to delays in bringing Apple Intelligence — which first debuted in 2024 — to the Chinese market.
China is a significant market for Apple. In the second quarter of 2026, Apple’s sales in Greater China rose 28% to $20.5 billion. The company also recently reclaimed the No. 2 position in China’s smartphone market following discounts offered during a recent shopping festival.
The news had an immediate effect on Alibaba’s U.S.-listed shares, which rose more than 6% by the time of publication, up from an initial 4% gain in pre-market trading.
The approval may signal a path forward for other foreign AI providers seeking access to the Chinese market, though the source does not elaborate on broader regulatory implications.
Source: TechCrunch