Cook says Apple Intelligence approved in China, test version due in October
Apple's AI features have been cleared in China, Tim Cook said. A test version is due later in October, starting with translation, writing tools and photo editing, but without Siri's AI features.
Archive image · Photo: Dan Harasymchuk / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Apple chairman Tim Cook said Apple Intelligence has been approved in China, according to the Chinese news outlet The Paper. A test version is due later in October, Cook said in an exclusive interview in Shanghai on Thursday, the outlet reported. Reuters picked up the report.
The first features are set to include live translation, writing tools and the removal of objects from photos, according to the reports. AI features for the Siri voice assistant are not part of the initial package. On Wednesday, Bloomberg had reported, citing people familiar with the matter, that a launch was planned for December.
Apple has long struggled to bring its AI features to the key Chinese market, where strict rules govern AI-generated content. In China, the company works with Alibaba, whose Qwen models are being integrated; according to Bloomberg, Apple is also working with Baidu on search and Siri features. Chinese rivals from Huawei to Xiaomi have long offered their own AI features.
Sources
- Reuters (via MarketScreener), Tim Cook says Apple Intelligence approved in China, The Paper reports, 15.10.2026
- PANews, Cook: Apple Intelligence has been approved in China, beta version to launch in late October, 15.10.2026
- 9to5Mac, Apple Intelligence reportedly coming to China in December, but without Siri AI, 14.10.2026