Alibaba Intensifies AI Competition in China with Qwen App Revamp
Alibaba Group is accelerating its artificial intelligence ambitions with a major overhaul of its flagship mobile AI application. The Chinese tech giant will rebrand its 'Tongyi' app as 'Qwen'—mirroring the name of its proprietary AI model—in a strategic MOVE to better compete with ChatGPT-style services. The updated platform will incorporate advanced 'agent-AI' features designed to enhance shopping experiences across Alibaba's e-commerce ecosystem, including Taobao.
The company plans to maintain free access to Qwen during its initial rollout, prioritizing user acquisition over immediate monetization. This consumer-focused approach marks a notable shift in China's AI landscape, where enterprise clients currently drive most revenue. Alibaba trails rivals Tencent and ByteDance in user engagement metrics, but aims to leverage its dominant e-commerce infrastructure to close the gap.
