Almost a year and a half after introduction in the U.S., Apple Intelligence very briefly and prematurely launched, and is now gone.

Apple Intelligence had a gradual rollout in Western countries, but it hasn't been available in China at all. According to social media posts, Apple Intelligence went live in China. Briefly.

Posts, such as from the prominent leaker account L0vetodream, are saying that the availability of Apple Intelligence in China appeared suddenly today. Screenshots shared by the accounts show the Settings app menu for Apple Intelligence & Siri, showing the same layout and general labels as in English-speaking countries.

At the top is the Apple Intelligence toggle, which translates to Apple Smart in some translations.

While the initial appearances on social media indicate it is available, Apple does not seem to have actually promoted the software feature. There's no mention of Apple Intelligence on the front page of Apple's regional online App Store, nor a press release at the time of publication.

This may change in the future, but it's probably not going to happen for a while. L0vetodream says it came up as part of their installation of iOS 26.5, which has just become available as the first developer beta, meaning Apple Intelligence won't be promoted until the full public release of iOS 26.5.

And it appears that the Chinese government didn't authorize the release, as it lacks regulatory approval. It is now gone.

Heavy delays

Apple Intelligence first appeared on iPhones in the United States in October 2024, as part of iOS 18.1. Apple then slowly brought Apple Intelligence to other regions, but while it said Chinese support was on the way, it didn't say when it would turn up.

There was hope in February 2025, when Apple detailed support for additional languages by April of that year. However, it didn't result in Apple Intelligence becoming available as part of iOS 18.4, and consumers were kept waiting.

To launch in China, Apple had to make Apple Intelligence work within regulatory rules, which proved to be a challenge. To get through them, Apple sought potential partners who already had AI models that worked within the country's rules.

Baidu and Alibaba, major tech companies in China, were both linked to the Apple Intelligence effort, with each having their own approved AIs at their disposal. One deal with Baidu reportedly faltered in December 2024 over technical and philosophical privacy issues.

It is unclear what companies Apple is working with in the current implementation, but it would be unsurprising if it worked with one or both companies. L0vetodream believes that Baidu's Wenxin Yiyan model is being used.

Update March 30, 2026 4:09 PM ET Mark Gurman has reported that the feature went live without China government blessing, and lacks regulatory approval.