Hold onto your emojis, tech fans! Alibaba just confirmed a major AI partnership with Apple to supercharge iPhones sold in China—and investors are loving it. Shares of the Chinese tech giant jumped over 9% in Hong Kong trading Thursday, hitting a three-year high.
Alibaba Chairman Joe Tsai dropped the news at Dubai’s World Governments Summit, calling Apple’s choice to collaborate a “huge honor.”“They talked to a number of companies… but chose us for our cutting-edge AI,” he said. Analysts say the move could help Apple bounce back after losing its top spot in China’s smartphone market to rivals like Huawei.
Apple’s iPhone sales dipped 17% in 2024, per Canalys data, leaving it in third place. Critics blame the lack of next-gen AI features—something Alibaba’s newly upgraded Qwen 2.5 model could fix. “This collab is a win-win,” said one market watcher. “Apple gets AI firepower, Alibaba gains global cred.”
With Alibaba’s stock already up 40% this year, the timing couldn’t be sweeter. Will AI-powered iPhones win back Chinese consumers? Stay tuned.
Alibaba just confirmed a major AI partnership with Apple to supercharge iPhones sold in China—and investors are loving it. Shares of the Chinese tech giant jumped over 9% in Hong Kong trading Thursday, hitting a three-year high. 
“They talked to a number of companies… but chose us for our cutting-edge AI,” he said. Analysts say the move could help Apple bounce back after losing its top spot in China’s smartphone market to rivals like Huawei. 
“This collab is a win-win,” said one market watcher. “Apple gets AI firepower, Alibaba gains global cred.”
iPhone Sales Surge 20% in China Amid Huawei…
