Alibaba Backs a Custom AI Model

Apple Intelligence will not look the same everywhere.

In China, Apple has reportedly trained its own large language model with help from Alibaba as it prepares to bring its delayed AI features to one of its most important markets. The China-specific model marks a shift from Apple’s earlier plan to depend mainly on local partners for generative AI.

Apple Intelligence is expected to launch in China in the coming months, but regulatory rules, the unavailability of US models, and partnerships with Alibaba and Baidu mean Chinese users and businesses could receive a different AI stack than customers elsewhere in APAC.

China’s AI rules force Apple onto a different path

Reuters reported that Apple trained the China-specific model with Alibaba’s support, citing three people familiar with the matter. Apple and Alibaba did not comment on the report.

Apple cannot simply copy the AI setup it uses elsewhere. OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude are not available in China, while public generative AI services must clear the country’s regulatory process.

The Cyberspace Administration of China registered Apple’s generative AI service in July, clearing a major hurdle for Apple Intelligence to reach Chinese devices. The Verge said the proprietary model could make Apple the first US company to be approved to offer its own AI model in China.

Alibaba stays central even as Apple trains its own model

Apple building its own model does not mean Alibaba is disappearing from the setup.

Reuters previously reported that Alibaba’s Qwen model is expected to be incorporated into Apple Intelligence on compatible iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro devices sold in China. Alibaba Chairman Joe Tsai confirmed the companies’ AI partnership in February 2025.

According to the publication, Apple also briefly published a Chinese-language guide explaining how eligible Mac users could connect Qwen to Siri and Writing Tools, but removed it without explanation.

Apple Intelligence in China may run on a different stack

Tech in Asia noted that Apple generally keeps as much Apple Intelligence processing as possible on the device and sends more complex requests to Private Cloud Compute.

The China deployment introduces additional components.

Apple is expected to combine its own model with Qwen and Baidu’s technology, although the available reporting does not specify which system will handle specific features.

For users, that could mean Apple Intelligence works differently depending on where a device is sold and used. Features available in mainland China may not match those offered in markets such as Australia, Singapore, or Japan.

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APAC enterprises may face uneven Apple Intelligence rollouts

Businesses managing Apple devices across several APAC markets may need to treat mainland China as a separate Apple Intelligence deployment.

An organization using the same iPhone or Mac models in China and another APAC country could encounter different AI services, model providers, and rollout schedules. IT teams may therefore need to verify which features are supported locally before standardizing AI-enabled workflows across regional offices.

The China-specific model could also give Apple more control as it competes with Huawei and other domestic smartphone makers that already offer built-in AI features. Reuters said that Apple’s lack of AI features in China had been cited as one factor weighing on iPhone sales there.

Apple still hasn’t explained how its China AI pieces fit together

The biggest unanswered question is how Apple’s proprietary model, Alibaba’s Qwen, and Baidu technology will work together.

Reuters highlighted that the role of Apple’s self-trained model alongside third-party Chinese systems was not immediately clear. Apple has also not publicly detailed whether its China deployment will use the same cloud architecture or offer the same feature set as Apple Intelligence elsewhere.

Once Apple Intelligence launches in China, businesses operating across APAC will need to check which features, models, and services are available in each market rather than assuming the same setup applies across the region.

Read how Apple Intelligence cleared a key China regulatory hurdle and where Alibaba and Baidu fit into the rollout.