Apple CEO Tim Cook meets Chinese Commerce Minister amid AI regulatory breakthrough

Apple CEO Tim Cook met with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao to discuss US-China economic relations, artificial intelligence development, and Apple’s business operations within China. During the discussions, Minister Wang expressed support for the safe and controlled development of AI and encouraged Apple to act as a bridge for stable economic relations between the two nations.

In a significant regulatory development, China has approved the integration of Alibaba Group Holding’s AI models, including Qianwen and Tongyi Wanxiang, into Apple devices. This approval removes a major legal hurdle that previously prevented the launch of Apple Intelligence in the Chinese market, as local regulations require AI tools to be associated with domestic firms.

Apple plans to launch a beta version of Apple Intelligence for the mainland Chinese market in late October. While the updated AI-driven Siri may not be included in the initial rollout, the company will introduce core features such as real-time translation and advanced writing tools.