According to Bloomberg, Apple’s artificial intelligence features for iPhones may become available in China as early as May. To achieve this, the company has established several teams in China and the US, and is also collaborating with local companies to meet its generative AI needs in the country. Recently, Joe Tsai, Chairman of Alibaba Group, confirmed that Apple will utilize Alibaba’s generative AI technology for Chinese iPhones during an event. Although Tsai did not specify when Apple plans to roll out the AI features that use Alibaba’s technology,  The Information previously reported that the companies had already submitted their plans for approval to the country’s regulators.

Bloomberg states that Apple will utilize Alibaba’s technology for its on-device AI models, specifically as a layer on top that can censor certain materials and information for the Chinese government. Alibaba will be able to request Apple to make updates to its AI models if China’s government asks, and Apple will apparently disable outdated AI features on a user’s phone until they update their device to remove any content that’s been prohibited. These restrictions will only apply to iPhones intended for sale within China and not to devices purchased elsewhere. However, Apple Intelligence will not function in the country, even on devices meant for sale in other regions, once the user changes their location to mainland China.

During an event, Tsai mentioned that Apple discussed its AI needs with several companies in the region, including DeepSeek. While Alibaba will be its primary AI partner in China, Bloomberg notes that Apple will also collaborate with Baidu for certain features, such as Visual Intelligence, which allows users to find information online by scanning items on their phone. For AI features that require additional power and need to be processed through external servers, Apple will likely need to work with a local partner as well.

As Bloomberg points out, bringing Apple Intelligence to Chinese iPhones is a crucial goal for the company. China is Apple’s second-largest market; however, the company’s sales are experiencing a decline as customers are turning to local brands that offer AI features on their devices. In the last three months of 2024, Apple’s sales in the country dropped by 11.1 percent, placing Apple in third place in the country’s smartphone market, behind Huawei and Xiaomi.

If you purchase something through a link in this article, we may earn a commission.