Apple (AAPL, Financials) is encountering challenges in its efforts to introduce the Apple Intelligence AI model for iPhones and other products in China, amid stringent regulatory requirements, the Financial Times said.
Senior official from the Cyberspace Administration of China said that unless they work with local businesses, foreign enterprises undergo an extended approval procedure. Using pre-approved major language models from Chinese enterprises will speed clearance, the official said, as revealed at last week's World Internet Conference in Wuzhen.
On Monday, Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook made his third visit this year to China. Cook engaged in trade talks with executives from over twenty companies and Premier Li Qiang. His trip is a part of the company's continuous attempts to negotiate China's legal environment and introduce Apple Intelligence to the country.
To help the implementation of its AI model in China, the U.S.-based business allegedly has been in talks with Chinese technology companies like internet search giant Baidu (BIDU, Financials), TikHub parent ByteDance, and AI startup Moonshot. Apple started unveiling first Apple Intelligence features in the United States last month.
Cook visited China in October and previously noted the country's complicated regulations. Cook stated, speaking to local media, "There is a very specific regulatory process behind this, and we need to complete this process."
Apple has thought about introducing its own big language devices in China, but legal clearance still poses a major obstacle. The representative of the Cyberspace Administration said that working with local partners could be the most practical road forward.
