In a development that comes on the proverbial heels of China's formal approval of Apple Intelligence features for the country's consumers, Alibaba has notified that its Qwen family of AI models will be integrated into Apple Intelligence, bringing AI-powered experiences for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS users.
Users in China will now be able to access Qwen’s entire range of AI capabilities, including text, image, and content generation, directly on Apple devices
Alibaba has now officially confirmed that users in China will be able to access its Qwen AI models via Apple devices, going on to note in a statement:
"Qwen will be integrated into Apple Intelligence experiences within iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS for users in China."
This integration is likely to work in a similar manner to how Apple users are able to access ChatGPT right now via the Apple Intelligence wrapper.
According to an Alibaba spokesperson, Qwen's integration with Apple Intelligence allows for accessing the model’s capabilities, "like text and image understanding and generation, without needing to jump between tools."
Meanwhile, as we reported earlier today, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) has now added Apple Intelligence to its registration list. This inclusion is a requiste for offering AI services in the country. This leaves the EU as the only major region where the revamped Apple Intelligence and Siri AI won't launch for the time being.
For the benefit of those who might not be aware, Apple's new Siri is now built into the Dynamic Island, has access to personalized context, and remains aware of on-screen content.
For instance, you can now ask Siri AI about an upcoming concert and add the corresponding date to your Reminders with simple voice commands. It can also tell you what a particular image is about, surface personalized context related to that image - a friend who lives near a park, for instance - and give directions to that friend's residence.
Of course, to surface an intimately personalized context, Siri AI has extensive access and privilege. As far as Apple's AI architecture is concerned, an orchestrator now collects all of the data required and then determines where to send your Siri AI query: on-device models or to the cloud, where encrypted NVIDIA GPUs and Apple Private Compute protocols maintain rigid user privacy.
Do note that Alibaba's Qwen will likely not enjoy this level of integration, especially as Apple is likely to reserve this 'secret sauce' for its own models.
About the author: Writing is my one incontrovertible passion. Over the past six years, he has authored over 2,200 distinct articles on financial and tech-related topics, spanning nearly 1 million words. And he has been a member of Wcctech mobile team since 2025. As an alumnus of the University of Toronto, Rotman Commerce Program, I bring nuance, in-depth knowledge, and a unique perspective to every topic that I cover. When I'm not writing, I'm traveling the world, exploring hidden confectionaries and restaurants as an aspiring food connoisseur.
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