The New York Times reported this week that Apple has faced scrutiny from the White House and the House Select Committee on China regarding Apple’s partnership with the Chinese company Alibaba to use its AI program in iPhones sold in China.
The Apple-Alibaba deal had been announced in February of this year.
China is a crucial market for iPhones, and Apple risked falling behind Chinese competitors, Huawei, Xiaomi, and others.
Apple also been playing catchup with AI and has delayed the launch of its revamped Siri, as well as more advanced integration of AI into its iPhone in the United States.