Mainland China users briefly accessed Apple Intelligence in the early hours of Tuesday before the update was pulled, raising questions over compliance and regulatory approval. An expert warned that the move could lead to administrative penalties.
Apple surprised mainland China users in the early hours of Tuesday by making the long-overdue Apple Intelligence update—a package of AI-powered tools to enhance and personalise user experience across Apple devices—available to select users, according to local user accounts.
Many downloaded the beta-labelled feature, dubbed Apple Intelligence and an upgraded Siri, and used the tools on their handsets, as shown in social media posts. The company immediately pulled the release.
Expert You warned that pushing the feature to Chinese users before completing security evaluation and algorithm filing “could be deemed as providing service without fulfilling legal compliance obligations, subjecting it to the risk of administrative penalties”.
The rollout occurred despite Apple Intelligence lacking formal approval in China, where AI services require strict reviews including security assessments.
