Apple Seeks AI Partner for Apple Intelligence in China

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With iOS 18, Apple is working with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into the iPhone, where ChatGPT will work alongside Siri to handle requests for AI-generated content. ChatGPT and other similar AI services are not available in China, so Apple needs to find an alternative.

apple intelligence
Apple is actively looking for a Chinese company to partner with for its AI features in China, reports The Wall Street Journal. Apple has held talks with Baidu, Alibaba Group, and Beijing startup Baichuan AI, but no deal has emerged.

Apple Intelligence features are going to be limited to an increasingly small number of customers when ‌iOS 18‌, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia launch this fall. Apple today said that it would not bring these features to countries in the European Union, and without a deal with a Chinese AI company, China could be out too.

China requires companies to get government approval before rolling out chatbots powered by large language models, and to date, has not approved any AI products that were developed outside of the country. Apple did look into the possibility of getting approval for its own large language model, but found that Chinese regulators were not likely to allow it. To bring ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features to China, Apple has to sign a deal with a Chinese AI company.

It is not clear if Apple would have time to prepare a Chinese version of ‌Apple Intelligence‌ for September even if it did manage to secure a deal in the near future, so ‌Apple Intelligence‌ is not likely to come to China until a later date. Even if Apple did make it happen, ‌Apple Intelligence‌ will only be available in U.S. English at launch, with support for additional languages coming in 2025.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple is falling behind competing smartphone companies in China because AI features are already available on devices from top-selling Chinese brands like Vivo, Huawei, Xiaomi, and Honor. Even Samsung has a smartphone with AI integrations in China, as it has partnered with Baidu and Meitu.

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Tags: Artificial Intelligence, China

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Top Rated Comments

coffeemilktea Avatar
coffeemilktea
22 weeks ago
An AI partner in China? I'm pretty sure the first choice should be Chat Xi PT ('https://apnews.com/article/china-chatbot-xi-jinping-thought-ai-chatgpt-68e6d58031f2fc55dc3c569dd1f0afb2'). :cool:
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wowotoe Avatar
wowotoe
22 weeks ago
It's OK for Apple to give up AI market in China. Why train the LLM to return false info?

Besides, nVidia already excluded China & Russia in their future plans. China's AI development will be very limited.



Attachment Image
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tobybrut Avatar
tobybrut
22 weeks ago

Apple said no Apple intelligence in Europe!??? Like never?
Makes you wonder if the DMA has something to do with this, such as Apple not being permitted to use their own AI models on device exclusively. Sorry, Apple, says the EU. You have to allow someone else’s model to be on your device to run things locally. Seeing as Apple’s already been fined more than they make in the EU per year just to Spotify and likely to be fined even more years worth of profits, what’s the incentive for Apple to do anything there anymore if they can’t make a profit in the EU? The fine that the EU is likely to level on Apple soon is based on their worldwide income, not just their EU income. That may drive Apple out of the EU entirely if the fine is high enough. If you can’t make any profits, why bother? If the EU isn’t careful, their laws may end up removing more choice than they had before the law.

Granted the reason for no AI in the EU is speculative since I haven’t heard them say why, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that is the reason.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FineWoven Avatar
FineWoven
22 weeks ago

China requires companies to get government approval before rolling out chatbots powered by large language models
Jesus that is seriously creepy… Like reading that made me feel genuine discontent and anguish and I’m not even a citizen of that country, thank God. It’s nothing personal against people of Chinese ethnicity, of course. I’ve been fortunate to know many over my lifetime and find the language, culture and history of that part of the world to be endlessly fascinating and impressive. Which is why it’s such a shame to see their government has devolved into such draconian authoritarianism. Despite our flaws and imperfections - of which we have no short supply (especially in recent years) - reminders like these every so often are good for appreciating the value of being a US citizen.


Apple is falling behind competing smartphone companies in China
Apropos of what I mentioned above, this is probably for the best. Maybe not for Apple’s bottom line but definitely for the users of their upcoming AI features.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
supertomtom Avatar
supertomtom
22 weeks ago
I guess it’ll be providing state-approved/prepared answers to your queries..

Wonder if it’ll still remind people to “check info for mistakes”.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fzJNotIBOxgnbqejSeVCvJScL Avatar
fzJNotIBOxgnbqejSeVCvJScL
22 weeks ago
Seek what partner? All Chinese firms and foreign firms operating in China already have the Chinese Communist Party ("The Party") as a partner whether they like it or not.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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