On August 14, 2026, Reuters, drawing on information from sources well-informed about the situation, disclosed that Apple has crafted a specialized large language model aimed exclusively at the Chinese market. This marks a significant departure from its prior approach of depending on third-party large models to power AI features in China. The development of this model was a joint effort with Alibaba, which also provided technical backing during the training process. It is anticipated that this model will be introduced to the Chinese market within the next few months, coinciding with an iOS system update.
