China clears Apple AI features for iPhones

China’s internet regulator has approved Apple’s AI services for iPhones in mainland China, clearing a delayed rollout shaped by local restrictions on foreign AI tools. Apple cannot use the same partners it works with for advanced features in other markets, including Google and OpenAI, and will instead rely on Alibaba and Baidu for back-end services.

Alibaba said its Qwen open-source models would be integrated into Apple Intelligence experiences across iOS, iPadOS, macOS and visionOS for users in China. The company said Qwen would support capabilities including text and image generation, while Baidu confirmed it is also working with Apple on AI features for Chinese users. Tencent and ByteDance are reportedly in talks with Apple around the rollout.

Apple’s AI suite includes tools for summarising emails, drafting reports, editing images and other productivity tasks. The tools launched in the US in 2024 and Europe in 2025, while some features are available in Hong Kong. The regulator’s notice did not specify whether Apple’s AI would be allowed on other products, such as iPads and Macs, and also approved Samsung’s Galaxy AI suite and offerings from Huawei, Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi and ZTE.