Apple Accidentally Launches Apple Intelligence in China, Pulls It Hours Later

In what Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman calls an error, Apple Intelligence accidentally went live in China — a market where Apple has no regulatory approval to offer AI features. Chinese users briefly saw Apple Intelligence features active in their iPhone settings before Apple pulled the plug.

What Happened

Chinese iPhone users began reporting that Apple Intelligence features appeared as available and active in their Settings app. No announcement was made. No press release. The features simply showed up.

Gurman confirmed: “Apple Intelligence launched in China in error — it’s been ready to go for months but Apple doesn’t yet have regulatory approval.” He added there is no imminent launch planned.

Why It Matters

China is Apple’s most important international market. Launching AI features there without approval from the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) could have serious regulatory consequences. The accidental rollout reveals that Apple has the technology ready but is waiting on Beijing’s green light.

There’s also a technical tell: the accidentally launched version reportedly used Google reverse image search — and Google is banned in China. That alone confirms this wasn’t a planned release.

The Alibaba Partnership

Apple is partnering with Alibaba to power Apple Intelligence capabilities in China, since using US-based AI models would face additional regulatory scrutiny. The partnership hasn’t yet received CAC approval.

The Bottom Line

Apple wouldn’t launch AI in its most important market without a major announcement — as Gurman points out. This was a mistake, but it confirms Apple Intelligence is months behind in China while competitors like Huawei push ahead with their own AI features.