Alibaba, China’s technology giant, has announced plans to introduce new generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist merchants on its platforms. This move is part of the growing trend of generative AI, which is expected to add significantly to the global economy.
Alibaba’s AI Tools for Merchants
The new AI tools are designed for merchants on Taobao and Tmall, two of Alibaba’s flagship e-commerce platforms. These AI-based tools are expected to enhance advertising on the platforms by enabling merchants to create campaigns via text input.
The AI tools will also have image and video generation capabilities for promotions. This is expected to save merchants a significant amount of funds while improving their productivity and efficiency on the e-commerce platform. Additionally, the AI-powered personalized ad campaigns are designed to assist merchants in reaching specific categories of online shoppers.
Despite some concerns over the long-term impact on purchaser behavior, early users of the tools have praised the technology. With a combined strength of eight million merchants on both platforms, the tools are expected to boost generative AI adoption in China.
Alibaba’s Previous Initiatives with AI
Alibaba’s latest foray builds upon its previous initiatives with the technology. In late 2023, the company introduced an AI-based video generation tool after shifting its focus from its quantum computing arm to generative AI.
Alibaba CEO Eddie Wu stated that as traditional internet models become increasingly homogenous and face competitive pressures of saturation, new technologies such as AI are emerging as the new engine of global business growth.
China’s AI Ecosystem
Following the blanket ban on digital currencies in China, local technology firms have thrown their weight behind AI, launching commercial offerings for users. Alibaba’s competitors, JD.com, Pinduoduo, and ByteDance, are reportedly working to launch AI tools for their e-commerce platforms. Across the broader tech scene, Baidu, Tencent, Huawei, and several local players have rolled out generative AI services for consumers, buoyed by new government regulations supporting their launch.
However, Chinese-based AI developers are expected to abide by strict rules involving copyright, labeling, data handling, and ensuring that their models do not generate outputs that stand in contrast with national values.
In order for artificial intelligence (AI) to work right within the law and thrive in the face of growing challenges, it needs to integrate an enterprise blockchain system that ensures data input quality and ownership—allowing it to keep data safe while also guaranteeing the immutability of data.
