Apple Intelligence approved for launch in China with Alibaba and Baidu

In Brief Posted: 6:17 AM PDT · July 16, 2026 Image Credits:Apple (event screenshot) Sarah Perez Apple Intelligence approved for launch in China with Alibaba and Baidu Apple Intelligence, the iPhone maker’s generative AI offering, is coming to China. On Wednesday, Reuters reported that China’s…

In Brief Posted: 6:17 AM PDT · July 16, 2026 Image Credits:Apple (event screenshot) Sarah Perez Apple Intelligence approved for launch in China with Alibaba and Baidu Apple Intelligence, the iPhone maker’s generative AI offering, is coming to China. On Wednesday, Reuters reported that China’s internet content regulator, the Cyberspace Administration of China, approved Apple’s AI services in the country on the back of a deal to integrate Alibaba’s Qwen AI model into Apple’s operating systems, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS. On Wednesday evening, a Baidu spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch that it is also working with Apple on developing Apple Intelligence features for Chinese users. The Alibaba deal, which was rumored to be in the works last year, marks an important step for Apple’s AI ambitions in a key market. In the second quarter, Apple generated $20.5 billion in sales in Greater China, up 28% from a year earlier. Apple also recently regained its No. 2 position in China’s smartphone market after a recent shopping festival offered discounts on the iPhone lineup. The Baidu partnership was also rumored, but reports at the time claimed Apple was facing issues adapting its models for Chinese customers. Apple is also said to be exploring integrations with DeepSeek and ByteDance. A lack of approval by Chinese regulators has led to Apple Intelligence features, which debuted in 2024, being delayed in the Chinese market. Alibaba earlier confirmed the company’s news to CNBC in a statement, saying that its Qwen models would be “integrated into Apple Intelligence experiences,” though it did not provide a time frame. It also said the integrations would involve AI capabilities like “text and image understanding and generation.” This article was updated Thursday, July 16, to add the statement by Baidu. Topics AI, alibaba, Apple, Apple Intelligence, In Brief, qwen November 4 Boston Last chance to save up to $190 on TechCrunch Founder Summit. Join 1,000+ founders and VCs at all stages for real-world scaling insights and connections that move the needle.Savings end June 26, 11:59 p.m. PT. REGISTER NOW Newsletters See More Subscribe for the industry’s biggest tech news TechCrunch Daily News Every weekday and Sunday, you can get the best of TechCrunch’s coverage. TechCrunch Mobility TechCrunch Mobility is your destination for transportation news and insight. Startups Weekly Startups are the core of TechCrunch, so get our best coverage delivered weekly. StrictlyVC Provides movers and shakers with the info they need to start their day. No newsletters selected. Subscribe By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. Related Hardware India bets billions on breaking China’s grip on smartphone manufacturing Jagmeet Singh 1 day ago AI OpenAI’s first hardware device is reportedly a screenless speaker that can move Lucas Ropek 2 days ago AI OpenAI pushes back on Apple trade secret lawsuit Kirsten Korosec 2 days ago Latest in AI AI Google Vids now lets you star in your own AI videos Sarah Perez 2 hours ago Gaming Roblox launches an AI-powered game-creation feature in its mobile app Lauren Forristal 3 hours ago Startups The founder who left Google and secured a $300M pre-seed valuation in months Maggie Nye Isabelle Johannessen 5 hours ago 34 min

Source: TechCrunch — Published July 16, 2026 at 13:17 UTC — Category: Business