Apple Intelligence in China: censorship, Alibaba, and the end of global AI

July 17, 2026

Apple got permission to operate its AI in China, but not with its own models: it will use Alibaba's Qwen and Baidu, under the restrictions imposed by the Chinese state. What remains of Apple's promise of privacy when the government can determine how Siri responds?

Apple got permission to operate its AI in China, but not with its own models: it will use Alibaba’s Qwen and Baidu, under the restrictions imposed by the Chinese state. What remains of Apple’s promise of privacy when the government can determine how Siri responds?

We analyze the CAC’s approval, the agreement with Alibaba, the $20.5 billion that China represents for Apple, and what this case reveals about the “splinternet” of artificial intelligence: a world where your AI depends on where you live and what your country’s government allows.

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🤖 AI-generated content: the script, voices, and images for this episode were produced using artificial intelligence tools.

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