Apple Intelligence Arrives in China, Omitting Siri AI
Apple is launching limited Apple Intelligence features in China with iOS 18 in December. Key functionalities like Siri AI and Image Playground will initially be excluded, with Apple partnering with local tech firms.
Apple is set to begin rolling out its first artificial intelligence features in China with the iOS 18 update, expected in December. According to sources familiar with the matter, the functionalities released in China will be more restricted compared to other markets. Notably, Siri AI, which leverages personal context, will not be available for the foreseeable future.
The technology giant has also entered into partnerships with local AI companies specifically for the Chinese market. This includes collaborations with giants like Alibaba, with whom Apple is developing a tailored AI model to comply with China's regulatory environment and censorship requirements. This approach differs from Apple's typical operations in Western countries.
Chinese authorities, including the Cyberspace Administration, have reportedly held up Apple's AI feature approvals for an extended period. Preliminary information indicates that the features available in China will include Apple's writing tools, Genmoji creation, and notification summaries. However, these will be older versions from the 2024 releases.
The image generation tool Image Playground will not be released in China at all, not even in an updated version. Similarly, newer photo editing tools, such as perspective adjustments, will be absent. The exclusion of Siri AI in China represents a significant limitation, as competitors like Xiaomi and Huawei have been offering similar advanced AI features in their smartphones for years.
Apple reportedly views the integration of the "true" Siri AI in China as unlikely in the near future. Similar reasons, albeit related to regulatory concerns, have been cited for Siri AI's absence within the European Union. Apple states it is in constructive dialogue with the EU Commission to address these issues. The Chinese version of Apple Intelligence will incorporate filters and guardrails adapted to local requirements, and technology from local search engine Baidu will partially power search and Siri functions.