It appears that Apple and Baidu may have had discussions about using Apple's GenAI features in China

According to reports, Apple and Baidu are in the early stages of talks about integrating the Chinese company's generative AI technology into Apple products marketed in China. This is just one more move in Apple's strategy to catch up to its tech competitors in the AI sector.

This is Apple's most recent attempt to collaborate with outside AI specialists to advance its technological skills; the company has already held discussions about such partnerships with Google and OpenAI.

The Wall Street Journal article stated that China's legal framework, which requires such technology to be approved by the nation's internet administration before being made public, is the reason for the concentration on a local AI model supplier like Baidu.

While Apple is still in the early stages of its talks with Baidu, and it's unclear if Apple has contacted other Chinese AI companies, experts believe that working with a local AI provider could help Apple overcome regulatory compliance obstacles and strengthen its competitive advantage in China, especially when it comes to creating Chinese-language AI solutions.

Chinese tech firms are also investigating the possibility of integrating tiny AI models within their smartphones. Examples of these businesses include Xiaomi and Honour.

Omdia experts predict that Apple would be a laggard in this market and that it would require extraordinary innovation for it to get ahead of the competition.

"The company's strength lies in launching ground-breaking applications and use cases for a range of technologies."

(Sources: investing.com, reuters.com, wsj.com)