GoKawiilApple Intelligence has been registered with China's cyberspace regulator, as Apple clears a significant hurdle that could finally allow its AI service to roll out in the country. As reported by Reuters, the Chinese version of Apple Intelligence will incorporate local Baidu and Alibaba models in order to comply with the country's complex regulatory laws relating to AI and privacy. If it has indeed been given the green light (Apple has not yet commented on the matter) then Apple Intelligence could arrive in China two years after it launched in the US.
China is one of Apple's largest and fastest-growing markets, and reports that it was working with Alibaba and Baidu to bring its AI features to the country first emerged as far back as early 2025. An Alibaba spokesperson told Reuters that its Qwen model will be incorporated into the version of Apple Intelligence that eventually ships with compatible iPhone, iPad, Mac and Vision Pro models in China.
The specific role of Baidu is less clear, but a spokesperson for the company confirmed its involvement in developing features for the Chinese version of the AI service. There's no release date yet, but approval from the regulator is presumably necessary for Apple to bring new features like the overhauled Siri AI — which is powered by Apple Intelligence — to its Chinese customers.