Shares of Chinese giants Alibaba and Baidu posted strong gains in Hong Kong this Thursday, driven by announcements involving a strategic partnership with Apple in the development and integration of artificial intelligence solutions.
Alibaba shares rose about 5% after the company confirmed that its AI model, Qwen, will be incorporated into Apple's services aimed at the Chinese market. The news also had a positive impact in the United States, where the company's shares closed slightly higher in the previous trading session.
According to a company spokesperson, “Qwen will be integrated into Apple Intelligence experiences on iOS, iPadOS, macOS and Vision OS for users in China”. The integration should allow greater fluidity in the use of advanced features, expanding the functionalities available on the brand's devices.
The same source added that the combination of Apple and Qwen will allow direct access to capabilities such as text and image understanding and generation, without the need to switch between different tools, which could significantly improve the user experience.
Baidu also followed the positive movement, with a rise of approximately 4% in its shares listed in Hong Kong. The company confirmed that it is collaborating with Apple on the development of artificial intelligence features aimed specifically at iPhones in the Chinese market.
Baidu's performance comes alongside expectations involving its AI chip division, Kunlunxin. Recent reports indicate that the unit is considering carrying out an initial public offering in Hong Kong, with a potential valuation in the range of US$ 50 billion.
On the regulatory front, the Cyberspace Administration of China recently included Apple Intelligence on a list of services approved to operate in the country. The decision also covers other AI solutions embedded in smartphones, including Huawei products.
The progress of these partnerships comes in a context of growing technological rivalry between China and the United States, especially in the artificial intelligence segment. On one side, the U.S. seeks to limit Chinese access to critical technologies, while Beijing adopts measures to reduce external influence in its technology sector.