China Registers Apple Intelligence, Paving Way for AI-Powered iPhones

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - iPhone users in China have finally received a boost, as they may soon experience the full capabilities of their devices. Apple Intelligence, the generative AI service that runs directly on Apple hardware, has reportedly been registered for use in the country.

China’s cyberspace regulator confirmed the registration, paving the way for the highly anticipated AI service. The country requires companies to register large language models and generative AI services with regulators before making them available to the public.

Sources familiar with the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Apple Intelligence will integrate capabilities from AI models developed by Baidu and Alibaba.

The arrival of Apple Intelligence could significantly strengthen Apple’s position in the Chinese market, where consumers have been eagerly awaiting the built-in AI service. Alibaba stated that its Qwen model will be integrated with Apple Intelligence across various Apple operating systems in China, including iOS for iPhone, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS. A Baidu spokesperson also confirmed the company is collaborating with Apple to develop various Apple Intelligence features for iPhone users in China.

Despite the registration, regulators have not yet announced an official launch date for the service. In a separate development, the cyberspace regulator also registered the Nubia-Doubao smartphone developed by ZTE. Nubia, a brand owned by telecom equipment maker ZTE, partnered with ByteDance to produce the AI-focused smartphone.