The US is concerned about Apple’s AI collaboration with Alibaba

American authorities are expressing alarm over Apple’s possible partnership with Chinese company Alibaba in the field of artificial intelligence. The situation has attracted the attention of the White House and Congress because it could affect U.S. national interests.

American authorities have expressed alarm over Apple’s possible partnership with China’s Alibaba in the field of artificial intelligence.

After Apple Intelligence was announced, the company partnered with OpenAI to bring ChatGPT to iOS. However, the service is banned in China, and Apple was forced to look for a local partner. Baidu, Tencent, and DeepSeek were among the candidates considered, but according to The New York Times, Alibaba, with its fast-growing Qwen model, was chosen.

The New York Times reports that the choice was Alibaba, with its fast-growing Qwen model.

Washington Demands Clarification

According to the publication, representatives of the White House and the special committee on China in the House of Representatives have already held private conversations with Apple executives. They are interested in what legal obligations Apple can take on in China and how safe it is to work with a company with close ties to the Chinese authorities.

Which is why the White House and the House Select Committee on China have already had private conversations with Apple executives.

Congressional Intelligence Committee member Raja Krishnamurthy called the potential deal “extremely troubling.” He compared the situation to TikTok, highlighting the risks of handing over user data to Chinese companies. AI expert Greg Allen added: “The US is in a race for leadership in artificial intelligence, and US companies should not be helping China accelerate.”

And the US is in a race for leadership in artificial intelligence, and US companies should not be helping China accelerate.

Possible sanctions and uncertainty

Amid growing concerns in the US, the US is discussing the possibility of putting Alibaba and other Chinese AI companies on a blacklist restricting cooperation with US firms. The Pentagon and intelligence agencies are analyzing potential ties between these organizations and China’s military.

The Pentagon and intelligence agencies are analyzing the potential ties between these organizations and China’s military.

Apple has yet to comment on the partnership with Alibaba officially. However, the head of the Chinese company has already effectively confirmed the talks. At the same time, the timing of the launch of Apple Intelligence in China has not yet been announced.

Apple has not yet announced a timeline for the launch of Apple Intelligence in China.

Apple’s iPhone sales and revenue in China are declining, and the fall launch of new models could prove critical. Possible tensions around the AI partnership risk affecting Apple’s position in one of its key markets.

The article The US is concerned about Apple’s AI partnership with Alibaba was first published on ITZine.ru.