Apple executive states AI will enhance, not replace, application ecosystem

During the Artificial Intelligence Technology Innovation and Governance Forum at the 2026 World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, Apple Vice President and Greater China General Manager, Yue Ge, asserted that artificial intelligence is transforming application development patterns. He emphasized that AI will not supplant applications but rather propel the next generation of apps to become more powerful and personalized tools essential to daily life. Ge also highlighted the robust growth of the Chinese App Store ecosystem, noting that developer revenue and sales reached $562 billion last year, marking an increase of $23 billion from the preceding year. Furthermore, he pointed out that three-quarters of Chinese developers have expanded internationally, with overseas revenue exceeding 50%. Regarding the evolving talent landscape in the AI era, Ge suggested that as AI makes finding answers easier, the ability to formulate the correct questions becomes paramount, stressing the importance of creativity. Separately, Apple released the iOS 27.3 developer preview for the iPhone on November 4, which included the 'Apple Intelligence and Siri' feature for mainland China users.