Alibaba is taking another major step in the artificial intelligence race by opening its Qwen AI assistant to third-party brands, allowing users to complete everyday tasks such as ordering food, booking flights and shopping through simple conversations.
The move reflects the Chinese tech giant’s broader vision of transforming Qwen from a chatbot into an all-purpose AI assistant capable of handling daily consumer needs across multiple industries.
Alibaba Opens Qwen Ecosystem To Major Brands
Alibaba said on Wednesday that it is going to open up the Qwen ecosystem to companies so they can make their own AI agents on the platform.
The first companies to try out this feature are KFC, Luckin Coffee, Mixue Group and China Eastern Airlines.
Now people can tell Qwen what they want to do. It will do it for them. For example, someone can say to Qwen, “Order a chicken burger at the KFC for pickup,” and Qwen will find the closest KFC, look for any discounts and tell them when it is ready.
Alibaba says that the companies working with Qwen can make their AI agents that can talk to people and even give them suggestions before they ask for anything.
From Coffee Orders To Flight Planning
Alibaba says the new AI agents will be able to offer personalised services based on user preferences and behaviour.
For example, China Eastern Airlines’ AI agent could recommend travel itineraries tailored to a user’s plans and interests. Meanwhile, Luckin Coffee’s agent may suggest placing an order ahead of peak hours to avoid delays and long queues.
“Qwen app now facilitates over 100 million daily engagements for lifestyle services, powered by dozens of integrated agents,” said Fan Zhang, who leads the Qwen app ecosystem initiative.
“The goal is to share these capabilities – intent understanding, precise matching, and proactive planning – with enterprise partners across all industries. By opening the ecosystem, Qwen aims to provide every user with a truly versatile AI personal assistant.”
Alibaba’s Bet On AI Agents
Alibaba is increasingly betting that AI agents will become the primary gateway through which consumers access digital services in the future.
Rather than opening multiple apps to complete different tasks, users could rely on a single AI assistant capable of understanding requests and executing actions across various platforms.
The latest rollout builds on Alibaba’s earlier efforts to integrate agentic AI into its services. Last month, the company introduced AI-powered shopping capabilities on Taobao, allowing Qwen to function as a personal shopping assistant that helps users discover products, compare options and complete purchases directly through chat.
Competition With Tencent Intensifies
Alibaba’s expansion of Qwen comes as competition among China’s technology giants intensifies.
Rival company Tencent Holdings is reportedly developing a similar AI agent within its popular messaging platform WeChat. The proposed feature would allow users to complete complex tasks such as booking flights, ordering transportation and making purchases without leaving the chat interface.
According to reports, Tencent is currently testing a prototype version of the feature and could begin compliance procedures ahead of a wider rollout in the coming months.
Also Read: Alibaba Unveils Qwen3.5, Escalating The Global AI Showdown
