TL;DR
China will require the local version of Apple Intelligence to pass a compliance exam made up of 2,000 prompts; the system must decline at least 95% of queries designed to surface censored material. Apple is expected to route Chinese AI traffic through a domestic partner rather than its usual Western providers.
What happened
Chinese regulators have set a prelaunch requirement for AI chat systems, mandating a 2,000-question examination aimed at prompts that would elicit information the state restricts. To be approved for public use in China, a model must refuse to answer at least 95% of those targeted prompts. The testing regimen must be updated regularly, with the pool of test questions revised at least monthly. International tech companies have been compelled to use locally approved Chinese models inside the country; reports say Apple will rely on a Chinese partner for its Apple Intelligence deployment there rather than the OpenAI or Google-backed models it uses elsewhere. The rules have encouraged third-party firms that help AI developers prepare for the exams, according to people familiar with the matter. Human-rights–related topics are singled out in commentary as likely priorities for suppression under the regime.
Why it matters
- Sets a formal, quantifiable compliance bar (2,000 prompts; 95% refusal) for AI services operating in China.
- Illustrates how market access can force global technology companies to adopt locally mandated censorship rules.
- Creates operational and technical burdens for firms that must tune models to refuse a wide range of queries while preserving utility.
- May heighten scrutiny of how Apple and other firms balance product consistency with regulatory demands in different markets.
Key facts
- Chinese regulations require AI chat models to be tested with 2,000 questions designed to elicit banned information.
- A model must refuse to answer at least 95% of those targeted prompts to gain approval for use in China.
- The test question set must be updated at least once a month under the rules described.
- Apple typically falls back to OpenAI and has used Google Gemini for some responses outside China, but will use a Chinese partner for its China deployment.
- Reports indicate Apple has a partnership with Alibaba for the Chinese version of its AI services.
- China blocks many Western online platforms through the Great Firewall, limiting the web sources available to AI models trained inside the country.
- Specialized agencies have emerged to help AI companies prepare models to pass the regulatory testing.
What to watch next
- Whether the China-specific Apple Intelligence deployment meets the 95% refusal threshold during official testing (confirmed in the source).
- How regulators audit and enforce the monthly updates to the 2,000-question test set and what transparency there is around changes (confirmed in the source).
- Whether Apple will disclose technical or contractual details about its Chinese AI partner and how it reconciles those arrangements with its broader AI strategy (not confirmed in the source).
Quick glossary
- Great Firewall: A term commonly used to describe China's system of internet controls and censorship that restricts access to many foreign websites and services.
- AI model: A software system trained on data to perform tasks like generating text, answering questions, or recognizing patterns.
- Censorship: The suppression or prohibition of speech, public communication, or information deemed objectionable or sensitive by an authority.
- Apple Intelligence: Apple's branded set of AI features and services that augment Siri and device capabilities (generic definition; specific deployment details vary by market).
Reader FAQ
How many test questions must Apple Intelligence face in China?
The regulatory regime described uses a set of 2,000 prompts for testing.
What pass rate is required for the test?
A model must refuse to answer at least 95% of those targeted prompts to satisfy the rule.
Will Apple use the same AI partners in China as elsewhere?
Reports say Apple will use a Chinese partner (reported as Alibaba) for the China deployment rather than its usual OpenAI or Google-backed arrangements.
Will these rules affect Apple’s global AI features?
not confirmed in the source
iOS 26 lets you customize Liquid Glass on your iPhone, here’s how Ryan Christoffel Dec 23 2025 CHINA APPLE INTELLIGENCE Apple Intelligence will be tested with 2,000 questions it must…
Sources
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