Apple plans to launch its artificial intelligence (AI) platform, 'Apple Intelligence,' in mainland China this December, following delays due to government regulations. However, some features have been restricted to gain approval from Chinese authorities, raising uncertainty about its reception among consumers.
Bloomberg reported on October 15 that Apple intends to introduce Apple Intelligence through an update to its iPhone operating system (iOS 27.3) scheduled for December.
The features being released were first unveiled in the U.S. two years ago and will be available on iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
Apple Intelligence includes AI capabilities integrated into Apple devices, such as summarizing notifications, assisting with writing, and removing unwanted objects from photos. It also allows users to create custom emojis.
However, the version of Apple Intelligence launching in China is expected to have limited functionality compared to other regions.
For instance, features like background expansion in photos, enhanced writing tools, the upgraded custom emoji creation tool 'Memoji,' and Siri's ability to recognize surrounding objects will not be included in the Chinese release. Additionally, Apple's own image generation app, 'Image Playground,' will be absent, and some apps will have restricted AI text generation capabilities.
These limitations are measures taken to comply with Chinese government regulations. Apple has also partnered with Alibaba to implement safeguards to prevent inappropriate AI responses and to allow the government to review and approve updates to the AI model.
Notably, the latest AI assistant, Siri, which Apple unveiled this year, will also not be available in China. Although Apple has significantly improved Siri's performance using Google's AI model 'Gemini,' it is collaborating with Baidu to address local regulations. The timeline for introducing the new Siri in China remains uncertain.
Apple has been working diligently to launch AI features in China, initially aiming for a release last year. However, the approval process took longer than expected, delaying the launch. In July, Apple received preliminary approval to launch Apple Intelligence in China and has since been in discussions with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology for further steps.
Tim Cook, Apple’s board chair, recently visited China and met with senior officials. According to state-run Xinhua News Agency, Cook met with He Lifeng, Vice Premier of the State Council, in Beijing on October 12 to discuss business operations in China and U.S.-China economic and trade relations. He also reportedly discussed plans for expanding Apple’s local operations with Meng Fanli, the governor of Guangdong Province.
There is growing interest in whether Apple can secure a competitive edge in China with its AI features. Bloomberg noted that Chinese smartphone manufacturers like Huawei, Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo are rapidly adopting various AI capabilities, raising questions about whether Apple can attract local consumers with features that are two years old.
In fact, Apple is also facing challenges in Europe regarding the rollout of AI features. After initially unveiling Apple Intelligence in the U.S. in 2024, it took several months for the features to be released in Europe. Although Apple received approval in September to showcase most of its latest features in Europe, the newest Siri AI assistant remains unavailable on iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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