Apple Is Using Alibaba, a Company the Pentagon Calls Chinese Military-Linked, to Filter Its AI Features for Chinese Users, Daily Caller Reports
The Daily Caller, citing Bloomberg, says a test version of Apple Intelligence reached China through an Alibaba filter. Alibaba denies the Pentagon's designation and is suing over it. Apple and Alibaba did not comment.
Apple's plan for AI on iPhones in China runs through a company the Pentagon has put on its list of Chinese military firms, the Daily Caller News Foundation reports.
What happened. Citing Bloomberg, the Caller says a test version of Apple Intelligence came out with iOS 27.3 on Tuesday, and Apple began testing its AI features on Chinese users through an Alibaba content filter. Bloomberg reported that the filter approves ongoing updates to a localized version of Apple Intelligence in China, in coordination with the government. Apple's newest Siri AI features, which rely on Alphabet's models, will not be released there, the Caller says.
The Pentagon label. The Caller says the Pentagon added Alibaba to its list of "Chinese military companies" on June 8, saying the firm is tied to China's military through Beijing's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Alibaba sued the Pentagon on June 23 and denied the claim, according to Reuters as cited by the Caller. A designation is the Pentagon's claim, not a court finding, and the lawsuit is still a live fight.
The features. The release includes a test version of Live Rewind for Apple Watch, which Apple says recalls the last 15 seconds of what was said by showing a text snippet. Another feature, Siri Recap, takes notes on a user's conversations and makes summaries that delete after one week unless saved, per Apple's support page quoted by the Caller. Users can opt out. The update also adds a Longevity tab to the Health app that tracks heart, hearing, nutrition, metabolic and mental health data, Bloomberg reported.
Earlier pressure. The Caller says the White House and the House Select Committee on China pressed Apple in May 2025 about partnering with Alibaba, per the New York Times. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., told the Times: "Alibaba is a poster child for the Chinese Communist Party's military-civil fusion strategy, and why Apple would choose to work with them on A.I. is anyone's guess." He suggested the Chinese firm could use Apple's technology to improve its own models.
Why it matters here. Our earlier reports on tech and China, including Nvidia's reported cap on Chinese customers, show Washington watching which US firms depend on Chinese partners. This one covers a consumer product.
What we could not check. Apple and Alibaba did not respond to the Caller's requests for comment. We did not read the Bloomberg, Reuters or New York Times reports it cites, and we have not seen the Pentagon notice. The report gives no sign that data from Chinese users is shared with Alibaba beyond the filter's role.