Apple Inc. secured approval from China’s cyberspace regulator to roll out its on‑device generative‑AI offering, branded Apple Intelligence, on iPhones sold in the country. The regulator’s clearance enables Apple to embed AI capabilities that must be pre‑approved before public release in China. Reuters reported that the Apple Intelligence service will integrate Alibaba Group’s Qwen large‑language model and Baidu Inc.’s AI technologies. Alibaba confirmed that Qwen will power Apple Intelligence experiences across iOS, iPadOS, macOS and visionOS for Chinese users. The approval is expected to improve Apple’s competitive position in China, where the absence of AI features had left it trailing domestic rivals such as Huawei and Xiaomi.
Following the announcement, Hong Kong‑listed Alibaba (HK:9988) shares advanced nearly 5% by 05:14 GMT, while Baidu (HK:9888) climbed about 4%. In the United States, Apple’s stock rose 4.01% (AAPL+4.01%). The market reaction reflects investor optimism that Apple’s entry into China’s generative‑AI market will drive demand for the participating Chinese AI providers.