Apple Intelligence was mistakenly launched in China before regulatory approval.



Apple Intelligence was released in the United States in October 2024 and has since been rolled out to many countries and regions around the world, but China is the only country where it is not available. Then, on March 31, 2026, Apple Intelligence was suddenly made available to Chinese users without prior notice, and it has been reported that this was an accidental rollout that occurred before regulatory approval was obtained.

Apple Intelligence rolling out now in China, per user reports [U: Pulled] - 9to5Mac
https://9to5mac.com/2026/03/30/apple-intelligence-rolling-out-now-in-china-per-user-reports/

Apple Intelligence Accidentally Goes Live in China Before Regulatory Approval - MacRumors
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/03/30/apple-intelligence-china-mistake/

The Chinese government regulates foreign AI technology and has also urged Apple to partner with local AI companies to develop Apple Intelligence. Apple is working with Alibaba to enhance the capabilities of Apple Intelligence, but it needs approval from the China Internet Information Office (CAC) before it can be launched.

Apple may finally launch Apple Intelligence in China by 2025 - GIGAZINE



However, CAC remains firm in its stance that all AI models must be tested and approved before Apple Intelligence can be rolled out, so the approval process is moving very slowly, and as of the time of writing, iPhone users in China still have not been given access to Apple Intelligence.

To use Apple Intelligence, you need to enable it in iOS Settings. Previously, this enablement option wasn't displayed in the Chinese version of iOS, but it suddenly appeared after updating to iOS 26.4, allowing users to enable Apple Intelligence.



Apple Intelligence can actually be enabled, and the instructions are all displayed in Chinese.



However, it appears that the display of Apple Intelligence was a mistake, as the Apple Intelligence option has already been removed from the settings screen of the Chinese version of iOS 26.4 as of the time of writing. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, who is familiar with Apple-related information, said, 'Apple Intelligence was mistakenly released in China. Although preparations for its release had been underway for several months, Apple had not yet received regulatory approval. It is not scheduled to be released anytime soon and is not related to the iOS 26.5 beta. Apple has already discontinued the service.'



Apple-related news site MacRumors commented, 'It is unclear when Apple Intelligence features will be available in China, but Apple is eager to roll them out there. Chinese smartphone manufacturers such as Huawei and Xiaomi are offering a variety of AI features to their customers, and Apple is significantly behind in the AI race.'

Related Posts:

in AI,   Software, Posted by log1i_yk