Beijing, China – Alibaba Group (9988.HK) has unveiled a major upgrade to its Qwen artificial intelligence app, enabling users to order food delivery, book travel, and perform other real-world tasks directly within the app. The enhancements, now available in public testing in China, mark Alibaba’s aggressive push into consumer-focused AI applications, an area where it previously trailed domestic rivals such as ByteDance and Tencent.

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Qwen App Moves from “Understanding” to “Action”

According to Wu Jia, Vice President of Alibaba Group, the upgraded Qwen App represents a shift from AI models that only understand to systems that act, connecting language models directly to real-world services and transactions.

“What we are launching today represents a shift from models that understand to systems that act—deeply connected to real-world services,” Wu said.

The new features allow users to complete tasks entirely within the AI chat interface, without switching to multiple applications, offering a seamless all-in-one digital assistant experience.

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Core Features of the Qwen App Upgrade

The Qwen AI upgrade integrates multiple Alibaba ecosystem services, including:

• Taobao: Alibaba’s flagship e-commerce platform
• Alipay: The payment system, now allowing transactions directly within the AI chat
• Fliggy: Alibaba’s travel booking service
• Amap: Mapping and navigation platform
• Instant Commerce: Enables same-day food delivery and shopping

For example, users can now authorize and complete payments for food orders or travel bookings directly within Qwen, eliminating the need to leave the conversation.

Additionally, Alibaba introduced a “Task Assistant” feature (invite-only beta), which allows the AI to:

• Make real phone calls to restaurants or service providers
• Process up to 100 documents simultaneously
• Plan multi-stop travel itineraries

Since its public beta launch on November 17, 2025, the Qwen App has exceeded 100 million monthly active users, highlighting rapid adoption and strong demand for AI-driven consumer tools.

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Competition in China’s Consumer AI Market

The Qwen App upgrade reflects Alibaba’s effort to catch up with competitors in China’s rapidly evolving AI sector. While Alibaba has historically focused on enterprise AI services via its cloud business, rivals like ByteDance and Tencent have been advancing consumer-facing AI applications.

Globally, companies are racing to integrate AI agents capable of completing multi-step tasks in the real world. Examples include:

• Meta Platforms acquiring AI startup Manus to enhance multi-task AI systems
• OpenAI’s Operator, which can book restaurants, fill out forms, and handle transactions on behalf of users

Alibaba’s Qwen3 foundation model powers these latest capabilities, positioning the company to leverage its massive ecosystem of commerce, payment, and travel services.

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The Future of Consumer AI for Alibaba

The upgraded Qwen App demonstrates Alibaba’s broader strategy to monetize AI while making it practical for daily life. By linking its language models to core services such as Taobao, Alipay, Fliggy, and Amap, Alibaba is transforming Qwen from a conversational assistant into a full-service AI-powered personal assistant.

Industry analysts say that integrating AI with real-world services and payments gives Alibaba a competitive edge in China, where consumer adoption of AI tools is surging.

“Alibaba’s Qwen upgrade shows the company is not just competing on AI technology but on practical utility for millions of users. It’s a key step in making AI an everyday tool for consumers,” said a technology analyst familiar with the project.

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Key Takeaways

• App: Qwen AI by Alibaba
• New Features: Food delivery, travel booking, document processing, multi-stop itinerary planning
• Ecosystem Integration: Taobao, Alipay, Fliggy, Amap, Instant Commerce
• User Base: Over 100 million monthly active users within two months of public beta
• Model: Powered by Qwen3 foundation model
• Objective: Transform consumer AI from a chat assistant into an action-oriented service platform

Alibaba’s upgrade of Qwen represents a major leap forward in consumer-facing AI, making it possible for users to complete complex real-world tasks without leaving the app. With AI-driven convenience becoming a central selling point, Qwen could reshape how millions of users interact with digital services in China.