Alibaba’s Enhanced Qwen Chatbot Wins Consumer Praise

The enhancement of Qwen turns the chatbot into a virtual ‘life assistant’, simplifying daily tasks for hundreds of millions of users.

Alibaba’s goal of transforming its chatbot application into a strong AI assistant that significantly alters how individuals engage with smart devices seems to be succeeding, as reported by users and experts.

Rather than continuously swiping a screen to finish a task, a user can instruct the Qwen app to perform various actions, such as ordering beverages or settling electricity bills, once the Hangzhou-based technology company integrates it with its current applications, including the shopping platform Taobao and the payment service Alipay. The application was created utilizing Alibaba’s Qwen series of large language models. Alibaba is the owner of the Post.

Customers welcomed the update, noting that the Qwen app could serve as a portal to tap into Alibaba’s artificial intelligence features and diverse offerings, freeing users from tedious tasks like comparing prices across various sellers. With this transition, Qwen has evolved from a chatbot into a virtual “life assistant” for hundreds of millions of users.

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“I successfully ordered meals through Qwen, and the process was seamless,” said Yang Tao, who works in the new-energy vehicle industry in Nanjing, on Thursday. It would be especially helpful for elderly people who may not be skilled at using various applications, he added.

The newly released Qwen app was introduced on Thursday, with Wu Jia, Alibaba’s vice-president overseeing consumer-focused AI, demonstrating its features by placing an order for 40 cups of milk tea at the launch event location.

The enhanced Qwen application showcases Alibaba’s most recent initiative to develop intuitive user interfaces by utilizing its advanced AI agent functionalities. In addition to Taobao and Alipay, the app also integrates the on-demand delivery service Taobao Shangou, the online travel agency Fliggy, and the mapping service Amap – all components of the company’s broad consumer services network.

Zhuang Shuai, the founder and lead analyst at e-commerce advisory firm Bailian, stated that Alibaba’s newly launched Qwen app has the potential to transform the online shopping landscape.

“Moving ahead, e-commerce will not solely revolve around competing through clicks or pricing,” Zhuang stated, noting that it will depend on whether a website offers sufficient products and services that can be analyzed and suggested by AI.

Morgan Stanley mentioned in a recent report that Qwen is “well placed to evolve into a comprehensive AI super-app and personal assistant.”

A collaboration between Google and Walmart has simplified the process for users to find and purchase products from the US supermarket chain through Gemini, Google’s artificial intelligence assistant, while Alibaba’s Qwen application provides a broad range of services that extend beyond e-commerce.

Alibaba has outlined 400 routine tasks that can be managed through the Qwen app, such as reserving tables at restaurants and monitoring price fluctuations.

A study conducted by a Washington Post journalist demonstrated that the application could comprehend spoken commands and deliver details when requested to identify recently opened bubble tea stores within the Galleria Mall in Beijing.

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