Apple has tapped Alibaba and Baidu for AI in China, while Ford has turned to CATL for battery technology. Volkswagen has teamed up with Xpeng to develop smart EVs in China, while Stellantis is expanding its partnership with Leapmotor on EV production and joint purchasing. Analysts say a broad shift is underway, with Chinese companies becoming sources of technology and innovation that global businesses cannot easily sidestep.
mandag 17. august 2026
From Apple to Ford: How Chinese tech is becoming harder for global companies to ignore
Washington has been stepping up efforts to curb Beijing’s technological ambitions, but from artificial intelligence to electric vehicle batteries, Chinese technology is becoming increasingly embedded in the businesses of some of the world’s biggest companies.
Apple has tapped Alibaba and Baidu for AI in China, while Ford has turned to CATL for battery technology. Volkswagen has teamed up with Xpeng to develop smart EVs in China, while Stellantis is expanding its partnership with Leapmotor on EV production and joint purchasing. Analysts say a broad shift is underway, with Chinese companies becoming sources of technology and innovation that global businesses cannot easily sidestep.
Apple has tapped Alibaba and Baidu for AI in China, while Ford has turned to CATL for battery technology. Volkswagen has teamed up with Xpeng to develop smart EVs in China, while Stellantis is expanding its partnership with Leapmotor on EV production and joint purchasing. Analysts say a broad shift is underway, with Chinese companies becoming sources of technology and innovation that global businesses cannot easily sidestep.