Earlier today, reports confirmed that Apple has formed a strategic partnership with Alibaba to introduce Apple Intelligence for iPhone users in China. Due to the country’s stringent regulations surrounding artificial intelligence, Apple has opted to collaborate with local companies for AI processing. A recent article from Bloomberg delves into the mechanisms behind Apple Intelligence in China.
Apple Intelligence in China
Chinese law mandates that data be handled on local servers rather than transmitted to external servers in other countries.
Before today’s announcement, there were speculations regarding Apple’s negotiations with Alibaba and Baidu to enhance Apple Intelligence features in China. Mark Gurman reported that Apple has collaborated with both companies to integrate various aspects of Apple Intelligence for users in the region.
The alliance with Alibaba focuses on developing an on-device system capable of analyzing and adjusting Apple’s AI models for both iOS and macOS. This system is designed to filter and censor AI outputs to ensure compliance with regulations set by the Chinese government. Sources indicate that the Chinese authorities will have the ability to request modifications to AI models via Alibaba as needed to alter the information presented to users.
Apple devices will monitor for outdated AI models and will automatically deactivate Apple Intelligence until new models are available for download. This process will occur seamlessly in the background without user intervention.
Baidu will facilitate features such as Visual Intelligence, which currently depends on Google and OpenAI technologies. It is anticipated that Baidu will also replace the ChatGPT integration in Siri.
More intricate requests related to Apple Intelligence are processed online within what Apple refers to as a Private Cloud Compute. In China, these requests may be handled on servers managed by the state-affiliated GCBD, the entity already responsible for iCloud services for Chinese consumers.
Apple has also announced plans to introduce Apple Intelligence support for additional languages with the release of iOS 18.4. New languages will include Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, and Vietnamese. However, reports suggest that Apple might delay the rollout of Apple Intelligence for users in China until May.
It is important to note that this censorship mechanism will only be applicable to devices sold within China. Therefore, iPhones, iPads, and Macs purchased in other countries will not utilize the local AI system, even if they are brought into China.
The first developer beta of iOS 18.4 is anticipated to be released next week.
