Alibaba, Baidu shares rise after Apple confirms AI partnership
AI partnerships boost both companies' Hong Kong-listed shares
Alibaba and Baidu shares climbed in Hong Kong on Thursday after the Chinese technology companies confirmed partnerships with Apple to power Apple Intelligence features in China following regulatory approval.
Alibaba's Hong Kong-listed shares rose about 5%, while Baidu gained around 4% after both companies announced their roles in supporting Apple's AI services for Chinese users.
Apple Intelligence wins regulatory approval
The rally came after China's Cyberspace Administration added Apple Intelligence to its list of approved AI services alongside six other smartphone-based AI platforms.
Alibaba confirmed its Qwen large language model will power Apple Intelligence experiences across iPhone, iPad, Mac and Vision Pro devices in China.
According to the company, the integration will allow users to access AI-powered text and image understanding and generation directly within Apple's ecosystem without switching between apps.
Baidu also confirmed it is working with Apple to support Apple Intelligence features for iPhones in China.
Apple did not immediately comment on the announcement.
AI race intensifies
The partnerships come as competition between the United States and China over artificial intelligence continues to intensify.
Washington has tightened restrictions on China's access to advanced AI chips, while Beijing has stepped up efforts to support domestic technology companies and regulate foreign AI services.
The latest approvals mark a significant step for Apple's AI rollout in China, where local partnerships are essential to meeting regulatory requirements.
