Apple Inc. is working to bring its AI features to China by the middle of this year, accelerating a complex undertaking that has required software changes and deep reliance on local partners. The iPhone maker has several teams in China and the US working to adapt its Apple Intelligence platform for the region, aiming for a launch as early as May, according to people with knowledge of the matter. In addition to the engineering work, Apple still faces regulatory hurdles in China, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the deliberations are private. It’s a high-pressure task for Apple, which has suffered a steep sales slide in China — its biggest single market outside the US. Local brands have used their own artificial intelligence features to snatch away customers from the iPhone, and getting the technology right is seen as critical to the US company regaining its footing in the country. The effort has forced Apple to rely on local partners — chiefly, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and Baidu Inc. — to a degree rarely seen before. The company has worked with Alibaba to create an on-device system that can analyze and modify Apple’s AI models for iPhone, iPad and Mac users in China.

Full report : Apple plans to launch its AI features in China as early as May 2025, using its own on-device models and Alibaba software to censor or filter the output.