Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Apple has decided to not choosing DeepSeek as its partner for supporting Apple Intelligence in China, contrary to previous rumors. According to a recent report, Apple has instead partnered with Alibaba to provide its AI services in the country.
South China Morning Post reported on Tuesday (February 12) that Apple has reached an agreement to use Alibaba’s Qwen model for Apple Intelligence in mainland China. The news was confirmed on Thursday by Alibaba co-founder and current chairman, Joe Tsai.
The two companies have reportedly submitted their first set of jointly developed AI features for regulatory approval in China.
Apple Intelligence
According to Detik, Apple plans to host a developer conference in Shanghai, China, on March 25, 2025, where it may announce the official debut of Apple Intelligence in the country.
However, Apple Intelligence is currently not available for iPhone users in China. Due to regulatory requirements, Apple must work with a Chinese company to develop AI models for devices sold in the country.
Apple initially considered Baidu as its local partner but ultimately ruled out the search giant due to its struggles in developing a model that met Apple Intelligence standards.
Following the decision to move away from Baidu, Apple explored partnerships with other major Chinese tech firms, including Alibaba, ByteDance, and Tencent.
DeepSeek, a relatively new player in China’s AI sector, was also considered but ultimately not selected. Reports suggest that while DeepSeek’s AI models showed promise, the company lacked the workforce and experience necessary to collaborate with a tech giant like Apple.
DeepSeek Competition
However, one of Apple’s biggest rivals, Huawei, confirmed earlier this month that it is using the DeepSeek-R1 model to power Xiaoyi, the AI assistant in the latest version of its mobile operating system HarmonyOS Next, according to Kontan.co.id.
OPPO recently announced that it is also integrating R1 into its new foldable phone, the Find N5. Vivo, which was China’s largest smartphone manufacturer last year, also revealed that its smartphone assistant app will incorporate R1-powered functions.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook acknowledged that the absence of Apple Intelligence contributed to an 11% decline in iPhone sales in China during the last quarter. Therefore, Apple’s partnership with Alibaba marks a strategic move to strengthen its presence in China’s AI market amid growing competition from local tech giants.
As the company prepares for its developer conference in Shanghai, all eyes will be on whether Apple Intelligence can help revitalize iPhone sales in one of its most crucial markets.
(Raidi/Agung)
