(Yicai) July 16 -- China's internet watchdog has given the green light for Apple to launch artificial intelligence services on iPhones in the Chinese mainland.

The US technology giant was cleared to include Apple Intelligence, a personalized smart system that can help users users with writing, self-expression, and daily tasks, on iPhones sold in the mainland on July 8, according to a notice released by the Cyberspace Administration of China yesterday.

“The launch date of Apple Intelligence is subject to approval by regulatory authorities,” the company's China website said. However, a label reading "Ready for Apple Intelligence" was added to the pages of all iPhone models on the site.

Apple has yet to respond to Yicai's inquiry regarding the launch timetable for Apple Intelligence and the AI-enhanced version of Siri in the Chinese mainland. The California-based company has also not disclosed the specific AI features and services that will be available to mainland iPhone users.

Alibaba Group Holding, Apple's AI partner in China, told Yicai that its Qwen large language model will be integrated into Apple Intelligence, bringing smart experiences for domestic users across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS. Users will be able to use the tool for text and image comprehension, content generation, and other tasks on Apple devices without needing to switch between different applications.

Based on Apple's previously outlined AI strategy, it is seeking to enhance the user experience in China through deeper AI integration while strengthening the iPhone's competitiveness in the world's largest smartphone market. The successful rollout of Apple Intelligence is important for both Apple and Alibaba.

As Chinese smartphone makers rapidly embed AI models into their devices, Apple's delayed AI rollout could weigh on future sales in China. Long regarded as an industry leader in innovation, Apple urgently needs to demonstrate to Chinese consumers what its products look like in the AI era.

Meanwhile, Alibaba is eager to leverage Apple's hundreds of millions of users in China to accelerate the consumer-facing rollout of Qwen. Embedding it inside the iPhone ecosystem would provide a highly visible endorsement of Alibaba's technology and opens up immense possibilities for the commercialization of the Hangzhou-based firm's AI business.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Martin Kadiev