China’s cyberspace regulator has officially registered Apple’s on-device generative AI service, Apple Intelligence, for use in the country. This marks a significant step toward the long-awaited launch of the feature for Chinese consumers.

According to Reuters, “China’s cyberspace regulator said on Wednesday that Apple’s on-device generative AI service, Apple Intelligence, has been registered for use on iPhones in China, paving the way for the long-anticipated rollout of the service in the country.”

China mandates that companies register large language models and generative AI services with regulators before making them available to the public. This approval positions Apple to finally introduce its AI capabilities in one of its most important markets.

The service will integrate local AI expertise. Reuters reports, “Apple Intelligence will incorporate capabilities from AI models developed by Baidu and Alibaba, a source familiar with the matter said, speaking on condition of anonymity.”

Alibaba confirmed its involvement in a statement to Reuters: “Its Qwen model will be integrated into Apple Intelligence across Apple’s iPhone (iOS), iPad (iPadOS), Mac (macOS) and Vision Pro (visionOS) operating systems in China.”

A Baidu spokesperson also noted, “Apple is also working with Baidu to develop Apple Intelligence features for Chinese iPhone users.”

The regulator’s statement provided no specific launch date for Apple Intelligence in China.

This development comes at a crucial time for Apple in China, where the company reported a 24.4% year-on-year increase in shipments in the second quarter. The rollout of Apple Intelligence could further strengthen its competitive position in a market where consumers have eagerly awaited these AI features.

MacDailyNews Take: Clearly good news for Apple and should be for Apple’s – and Alibaba’s – stock prices, too.

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