Alibaba Shares Rise 4% as Qwen Wins Apple Intelligence Role in China
Updated
Updated · CNBC · Jul 15
Alibaba Shares Rise 4% as Qwen Wins Apple Intelligence Role in China
3 articles · Updated · CNBC · Jul 15
Summary
Alibaba’s U.S.-listed shares climbed as much as 4% in premarket trading after the company confirmed Qwen will power Apple Intelligence features for users in China.
China’s cyberspace regulator approved Apple AI services, clearing a hurdle that had delayed the offering since Apple first announced it in 2024.
Qwen will be built into iOS, iPadOS, macOS and visionOS in China, letting users access text and image understanding and generation inside Apple systems rather than separate tools.
The tie-up lands amid sharper U.S.-China AI tensions, with Alibaba recently barring staff from Anthropic’s AI and U.S. lawmakers weighing limits on Chinese AI adoption.
By embedding Chinese AI, has Apple created a blueprint for tech giants to operate under authoritarian rule?
With Apple adopting a Chinese AI, is America's lead in the global dominance race now at risk?
Does on-device AI solve privacy, or just move data risks from the cloud to the smartphone?
Apple Secures China’s Green Light for AI: Qwen-Powered Intelligence Coming to iPhones in 2026
Overview
In July 2026, Apple Intelligence received crucial regulatory approval in China, marking a major step for Apple’s AI ambitions in the world’s largest smartphone market. This approval, granted by Chinese authorities, allows Apple to integrate advanced AI features into its iPhone devices sold in China. A key part of this breakthrough is Apple’s partnership with Alibaba’s Qwen AI, which will power the Apple Intelligence service locally. For now, the license is limited to iPhones, and Apple has not yet announced when Chinese users will get access to these new AI features, highlighting both the opportunity and ongoing rollout uncertainty.