Alibaba taps into China’s ‘chat to buy’ trend via Qwen AI and Taobao integration

Move underscores strategy by China’s technology firms to revamp their flagship e-commerce platforms via an accelerating AI push. Taobao has also launched a Qwen-powered shopping assistant, which was trained on the platform’s extensive product listings, and a massive database of customer reviews that can provide instant answers to shopping-related queries. The Qwen assistant also features virtual try-ons and a price-comparison tool that was designed to help users secure better deals and make more informed buying decisions, according to the statement. The move underscores Alibaba’s accelerating AI push, as it seeks to revamp its flagship platforms with new technology. Taobao, China’s largest e-commerce app and the firm’s crown jewel, boasted more than 950 million monthly active users as of February, according to analytics firm QuestMobile. In a test done by an SCMP reporter, the Qwen app was able to follow on an initial general inquiry for a laptop, and then narrow down the selection according to budget, performance, specs, and type of brand to provide a direct recommendation that could be ordered from the AI chatbot.

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