Apple Intelligence Chinese version delayed again? Tim Cook: Will not consider additional charges

The first wave of Apple Intelligence in English has been launched at the end of October, and the Chinese version is expected to wait until after 2025. However, according to The Information, Apple has chosen Baidu as the model provider for the Chinese version of Apple Intelligence, but it faces regulatory, model performance, and data privacy disagreements, which may further delay the launch of the Chinese version. (Background: Will iPhone16 be available? Foreign media evaluates Apple Intelligence as 'unbearable', Chinese support will have to wait until 2025) (Background: When will Apple integrate Depth into ChatGPT in iOS 18.2? Highlights of Apple Intelligence at a glance) Apple made its long-awaited debut of the new AI feature, Apple Intelligence, at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June this year. The first features were officially launched at the end of October, and eligible iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers can use the new writing assistant to help with editing articles and summarizing, among other tasks. However, it currently only supports the English version, and the Chinese version and other languages are not expected until after 2025, with more features gradually being released. Delays in the launch of the Chinese version of Apple Intelligence However, according to The Information, the Chinese version of Apple Intelligence may be further delayed. The report points out that Apple has chosen Baidu as the model provider for the Chinese version of Apple Intelligence, but the adaptation process is full of challenges. Sources revealed that Baidu's Wenxin Yiyuan 4.0 model seems to have difficulty accurately understanding user queries and responding appropriately to routine needs of iPhone users. Whether this issue can be resolved will directly affect the launch time of the Chinese version of Apple Intelligence. In addition, Apple also faces challenges from Chinese regulators, and Baidu hopes to retain the data generated by iPhone users when using AI-driven searches, but this approach is completely contrary to the core design principles of Apple Intelligence and Apple's private cloud computing solution. From both a technical adaptation and data privacy perspective, the progress of Apple's cooperation with Baidu appears to be less than ideal. There are also reports that Apple may need to pay to use the Wenxin Yiyuan model, indicating a significant compromise by Apple to enter the Chinese-speaking market. Whether the Chinese version of Apple Intelligence will be launched as scheduled next year remains to be closely followed. Cook: Apple Intelligence does not consider charging On the other hand, regarding whether Apple Intelligence will introduce paid services like ChatGPT or Claude, Apple CEO Tim Cook said in an interview with Wired that Apple has never discussed charging for Apple Intelligence. He emphasized: 'We have never considered charging users for it. It's like multitouch, it's part of the smartphone revolution.' Cook believes that the role of Apple Intelligence is to help users improve efficiency, collaborate with users, and not to replace humans. He gave the example that Logic Pro helps musicians create, but ultimately, it is humans who complete the creation and use the tools. Apple began using AI as early as 2017 to address market concerns about whether Apple's generative AI technology was lagging behind its competitors. Cook disagrees with this notion, pointing out that as early as 2017, Apple had integrated AI technology into its products and introduced a neural engine. He stated: 'When Apple Park (Apple's headquarters, opened in 2017) was officially opened, we began integrating the neural engine into our products. At that time, we were already aware of the importance of artificial intelligence and machine learning, and began investing resources on a large scale.' In addition, in 2018, Apple poached Google's AI chief, John Giannandrea, further making machine learning a core technology in Apple products and accelerating the development of AI in the company's products. Foreign media evaluates Apple Intelligence as unbearable So, is Apple Intelligence good or not? According to the test by Washington Post reporter Geoffrey A. Fowler, he believes that the current completeness of Apple Intelligence is still not high, and it often makes mistakes, sometimes helpful but more often laughable, because he says AI is good at storytelling: Once it directly told me that Trump supported his running mate Walz for president, and another time, it edited my selfie and made me bald (why?). Geoffrey A. Fowler also pointed out that this may not be Apple's problem, but a common problem encountered by all AI language model technologies, and he also emphasized that this is a problem that generative AI will encounter. In addition to language model problems, he also encountered some amusing errors in the preview version of Apple Intelligence, such as summarizing phishing messages when using the text assistant. However, he also acknowledges Apple's efforts, stating that customizing it for different cultures and maturing it to be easily usable by everyone will take a very long time, which will inevitably delay Apple's launch of various Apple Intelligence features. Extended reading: Will iPhone16 be available? Foreign media evaluates Apple Intelligence as 'unbearable', Chinese support will have to wait until 2025 Related reports: The first batch of iPhone 16 lacks AI features? Rumor has it that Apple Intelligence will be delayed until October Apple Intelligence does not support iPhones below 15 Pro, will you pay for AI? New features of Apple iOS 18: AI system Apple Intelligence, Siri introduces ChatGPT, Emoji generation... 'Further delay of the Chinese version of Apple Intelligence? Tim Cook: No consideration of additional charges' This article was first published on the dynamic block BlockTempo, 'the most influential blockchain news media'.