Apple is set to roll out its artificial intelligence (AI) features in China by mid-year, a process that entails intricate software modifications and close cooperation with local partners.
Groups in China and the US are engaged in preparing the Apple Intelligence platform for the Chinese market, with a view to launching it as early as May, according to people familiar with the initiative. Nevertheless, the company continues to encounter regulatory hurdles in China.
This project is important to Apple as it attempts to bounce back from the slowing sales in China, its biggest market outside of the US, where local players have gained traction by introducing their own AI capabilities.
To address the Chinese market's special demands, Apple is collaborating closely with domestic firms, such as Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and Baidu Inc. Alibaba is assisting Apple to build an on-device platform that can tailor AI models for Chinese users while censoring content to be compliant with government requirements. Baidu will serve secondary features.
Introducing AI to China is not about duplicating the US version. In the US, Apple Intelligence has three broad types of AI: on-device features, cloud-based features using Apple's servers, and OpenAI chatbot features.
In China, Apple will employ its on-device AI models, but Alibaba's software will place an additional layer to censor content objectionable to the government. The Chinese government can instruct Alibaba to ask for modifications to AI models, and if old models are found, Apple might temporarily disable some features until they are updated.
The new AI system will also be unique for Apple devices marketed in China only, such that devices purchased from outside China will not employ the local AI installation even when introduced into China.
Certain AI features need to be processed on external servers, like rewriting big blocks of text. Apple employs a mechanism known as Private Cloud Compute for this, using secure servers fueled by its Mac chips. Apple might need a local partner for this feature in China, just as it works with state-controlled GCBD for iCloud services in the country.
Alibaba itself confirmed its partnership, with the Chairman Joe Tsai commenting on how Apple picked and chose business partners for the venture. Features such as Visual Intelligence, whereby iPhones can recognize objects and download online information, will be aided by Baidu.
In the United States, Apple's Visual Intelligence leverages Google and OpenAI technology, but Baidu will be the central player in China. Apple and Baidu have enjoyed a close relationship, with Baidu as the default search engine for Safari in Chinese users.
Although there has been collaboration, public utterances regarding the alliance are infrequent and risky. Apple has also dropped past collaborators who have released information prematurely, such as in its autonomous vehicle project and other initiatives.
The next iteration of Apple Intelligence comes in April with iOS 18.4, with new language support, including Chinese. However, a complete platform release in China includes more than a simple language upgrade.
