Apple’s AI partnership with Alibaba excites Chinese iOS developers ahead of conference

App developers called Alibaba’s open-source Qwen models the ‘ideal’ choice, as news of the deal lifted sentiment about Apple’s China prospects

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Chinese iOS developers are hopeful that news of a partnership between Apple and Alibaba means an imminent launch of Apple Intelligence on the mainland. Photo: Shutterstock

Ann Caoin Shanghai

Published: 8:00am, 13 Feb 2025

Apple’s deal to put Alibaba Group Holding’s artificial intelligence (AI) models on the iPhone has Chinese developers buzzing about the potential of the partnership ahead of the US tech giant’s conference in Shanghai next month.

The partnership with Alibaba could be a boon for both local developers and for Apple itself, which has been struggling in China amid uncertainty over its AI offerings. Under Chinese rules, any models that are part of Apple Intelligence, a major feature of new iPhones, would need regulatory approval for public release in the country.

The South China Morning Post reported on Tuesday that the iPhone maker had struck a deal to use Alibaba’s Qwen models for Apple Intelligence in mainland China, citing sources familiar with the matter. Internationally, Apple Intelligence uses OpenAI’s GPT models.

Online tech news outlet The Information was the first to report the Alibaba deal. Neither Apple nor Alibaba, which owns the Post, have commented on the news.

People walk past the Alibaba mascot in front of the Alibaba Centre in Shanghai on February 12. Photo: EPA-EFE

While there is still no timeline for the launch of Apple Intelligence in China, news of the partnership has cheered up the country’s iOS developer community and contributed to speculation that the US tech giant’s AI features could go online before its Shanghai developer conference on March 25.

Developer Albert Li, who is based in Beijing, said on Wednesday that Qwen is “ideal for independent developers like me”. Li has been building an iOS notebook app since late 2023. He said the native integration of Alibaba’s AI could make it easier for him to add new features.