Apple Trains China-Specific AI Model With Alibaba Support

Apple has developed a customized large language model specifically for the Chinese market with technical support from Alibaba Group, marking a major shift in its artificial intelligence strategy for the country. The development, which has not been previously reported, makes Apple the first foreign company approved by Beijing to offer a proprietary AI model in mainland China, according to three people familiar with the matter.

The model was trained with Alibaba's infrastructure and support, a departure from Apple's earlier approach of relying primarily on AI models provided by domestic Chinese technology companies. This move paves the way for the localized debut of Apple Intelligence, the company's suite of AI tools, which is expected to launch in China in the coming months following an update to its iOS operating system.

The development follows regulatory clearance from the Cyberspace Administration of China, which registered Apple's generative AI service last month. Under the arrangement, Alibaba's Qwen AI model will be incorporated into the version of Apple Intelligence that ships with compatible iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro models in China. Technology from Chinese search...