Apple Intelligence Faces Complex Approval Process in China

[MacRumors]

Apple is experiencing challenges as it attempts to launch Apple Intelligence in China, with regulators cautioning that foreign companies face a "difficult and long process" for approval unless they partner with local firms, according to a new Financial Times report.

A senior official at the Cyberspace Administration of China told the FT that foreign device makers would find a "simple and straightforward approval process" if they utilize already-approved large language models (LLMs) from Chinese companies, rather than attempting to implement their own AI systems.

The regulatory situation has reportedly prompted Apple to engage in discussions with several Chinese tech companies, including search giant Baidu, ByteDance, and AI startup Moonshot, to potentially power Apple Intelligence features in devices sold in mainland China.

Apple CEO Tim Cook arrived in China on Monday to attend a CEO summit with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, in what could be an attempt by Cook to personally navigate the complex regulatory landscape. During his previous visit to Beijing, Cook acknowledged the specific regulatory requirements, stating that Apple was "working hard" to bring Apple Intelligence to Chinese consumers.

The company has been gradually rolling out Apple Intelligence features in the US and elsewhere since October, with things like Writing Tools and enhanced Siri using a combination of on-device processing and its Private Cloud Compute servers, along with OpenAI's ChatGPT for more complex queries. But if Apple can't secure approval for its own AI models in China, it may need to rely on Chinese partners' LLMs to host AI features on devices sold there.

According to JP Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee, the regulatory uncertainty could delay the launch of Apple Intelligence in China until "well into the second half of 2025" or later, unless Apple adopts a flexible approach involving multiple Chinese partnerships to expedite approval.

China represents 17% of the company's revenue but saw an 8% decline in sales over the past year. The company faces increasing competition from Huawei, which has already integrated its own AI features into its latest smartphones.

Article Link: Apple Intelligence Faces Complex Approval Process in China

 

[System603]

if they utilize already-approved large language models (LLMs) from Chinese companies, rather than attempting to implement their own AI systems

Goodbye to Tiananmen Square massacre and Republic of China answers then I guess 😅

In other countries and entities like the EU, the focus tends to be on being mindful of sensitive/possibly harmful topics such as self-harm, terrorism (advice), and similar issues.

Here, however, I'd guess the emphasis would be more on avoiding certain subjects:

• don’t mention that one country
• Tang Ping
• that one square kerfuffle
• having fewer or no children
• that one minority situation
• and —by the way— Winnie the Pooh is just a book character and nothing more, o k a y?
  *holds finger above -100 social credit button*

edit: Revised to emphasize the event rather than the square itself, based on cyanite's insightful comment 🙏

 

[vtuberalpha]

Yeah guys, surely Apple will pull out of China after this, right guys? /s

 

[Glideslope]

Yeah guys, surely Apple will pull out of China after this, right guys? /s

Might be an opportune time to purchase a 16 if your on the fence. I don't see Apple eating the 10% that is coming on Jan 21st.

 

[Plutonius]

In my opinion, I think it's just another excuse used by China to depress Apple sales in favor of Huawei.

 

[cyanite]

that one square

I'm pretty sure you're able to mention one of the most popular squares in the capital, actually. References to the massacre there, is a different story.

 

[vtuberalpha]

Might be an opportune time to purchase a 16 if your on the fence. I don't see Apple eating the 10% that is coming on Jan 21st.

Oh yeah I'm not concerned at all, getting my new 16PM this week to replace my Xs

 

[wanha]

Might be an opportune time to purchase a 16 if your on the fence. I don't see Apple eating the 10% that is coming on Jan 21st.

By fence do you mean the Great Wall?

 

[toto75]

It's only overreach if the demand comes from the EU.

 

[SoldOnApple]

China's model of the government approving each AI is sensible imo. AI is one day going to be very powerful, very dangerous, when it reaches general intelligence the world will change forever.

 

[toto75]

China's model of the government approving each AI is sensible imo. AI is one day going to be very powerful, very dangerous, when it reaches general intelligence the world will change forever.

Yeah sure, the CCP is definitely concerned about your safety.

 

[SoldOnApple]

Yeah sure, the CCP is definitely concerned about your safety.

Probably concerned with the stability of the country. China has approved dozens of AI though, so it doesn't really seem to be a bottleneck to progress. I guess some features may be lacking, I wouldn't know, I've never read up on what these Chinese AIs are actually like or what they do. AI is kind of everywhere, my work has AI listen in on all phone calls made on our work iPhones. If a potential customer calls up to ask about a service, the AI will detect the conversation and automatically cue up that service ready for them to be signed on. We all use our personal phones when calling fellow workers or other sensitive calls though so we can bitch about the boss without it being detected and transcribed, so no one is happy about the AI.

 

[Corefile]

The only other leader who can make Tim Apple come running like a poodle is the President-elect.

 

[johnsawyercjs]

I wonder when China will start threatening non-CCP-approved LLMs with social pariah status, prison, or outright invasion.

 

[gigapocket1]

Apple is going to be the public punching bag with the newly proposed tariffs with China…

 

[DrJR]

I would imagine they want to check the product out to make sure it maximizes individual liberty and freedom of speech before loosing it upon the entire country?

 

[winxmac]

So long as they keep dual physical SIM for China models, it does not matter if they want to bring Apple intelligence to more countries... The iPhone I am using is not compatible with Apple intelligence anyway...

 

[coffeemilktea]

foreign device makers would find a "simple and straightforward approval process" if they utilize already-approved large language models (LLMs) from Chinese companies, rather than attempting to implement their own AI systems.

You don't need Siri or ChatGPT when you can have the Xi Jinping chatbot.

 

[vantelimus]

Might be an opportune time to purchase a 16 if your on the fence. I don't see Apple eating the 10% that is coming on Jan 21st.

A rough estimate, based on industry-standard cost breakdowns and data from 9to5Mac for an iPhone Pro Max 14, suggests that a 10% tariff will elevate the landed cost of an iPhone by approximately $50. Consequently, the retail price would be expected to increase by around $100. So, brace yourself for a $100 hike in iPhone prices.

Interestingly, if the iPhone manufacturing process were instantly transferred to the US, maintaining the same factory equipment and labor requirements, the iPhone’s manufacturing cost would increase by between $80 and $120. Consequently, the iPhone’s price would rise by $160 to $240.

These tariffs, intended to revive manufacturing in the US, especially in the consumer electronics sector, will be ineffective except to increase prices.

 

[vantelimus]

It's only overreach if the demand comes from the EU.

It is overreach by the Chinese government also. It is just that we expect China to act like an anti-capitalist authoritarian regime. We don't expect that from EU countries. However, it seems all western countries (including the US) are altering their economic regulations to align with populist nationalistic sentiments. China is merely being consistent.

 

[vantelimus]

BTW, shouldn't this article be under political news? It is about controversial Chinese-government policies intended to restrict the free-flow of information in China.

 

[blacktape242]

I wonder why....

 

[svish]

Rollout of Apple Intelligence in China might be happening at least by early 2026. By then expecting Apple to get all the approvals required. China continues to be a major market for Apple.

 

[nostradumbass]

Just rename it Computer Text Generator and it will be approved everywhere and the media will shut the **** up about the text generator becoming overlord.

 

[bricefr]

With the tariff war the next US government is about to start, Apple products are the perfect target for the EU or the China, so nobody will be able to afford an iPhone outside the US. Apple Intelligence world-wide deployment is a moo point.