Apple CEO Tim Cook recently made his third trip to China, underscoring that country's critical role in the company's global strategy. This visit comes as Apple seeks to integrate its Apple Intelligence suite into devices sold in the region, navigating a complex regulatory environment that demands careful negotiation and local partnerships.
In the U.S., Apple has already begun rolling out Apple Intelligence, an AI-powered suite designed to enhance user experiences across its ecosystem. However, deploying similar technology in China is far more challenging. According to sources familiar with the matter, Apple has even explored operating its large language models in the country.
I have made many visits to China and worked with companies that have had to deal with China's regulatory bodies. In many of the cases I was involved with, it was clear that China's objections or rules were entirely parochial and designed to ensure that China has ultimate control of the technology that favors them regardless of the outside technology that could be superior.
China's regulatory landscape for generative AI poses significant hurdles. A senior Cyberspace Administration of China official recently revealed that foreign companies like Apple face a"lengthy and complex approval process" to run their own models. The official emphasized that collaborating with local Chinese tech companies—whose LLMs have been vetted—would provide a much faster and more straightforward path to compliance.