Alibaba’s new AI assistant, Qwen, has made a spectacular entrance: within just a week of its public beta release, the app crossed 10 million downloads, outpacing the early momentum of OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Chinese rival DeepSeek.
This fast uptake signals strong domestic demand for locally built, consumer-friendly generative AI — especially in a market where Western alternatives like ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini remain restricted.
Why Qwen’s Record Start Matters for Alibaba’s AI Strategy
Alibaba clearly views Qwen as a central pillar in its long-term “AI-first” strategy. The app unifies several previously separate iOS and Android offerings under the Qwen brand, making it a multipurpose assistant designed for both research and everyday use. It supports deep research, image generation, slide creation, and more.
Alibaba is not content with just a flashy launch. Over time, the company plans to layer in advanced “agent-style” functions — so Qwen could one day handle tasks like food delivery orders, travel bookings, education help, mapping, and health guidance.
How Qwen Stacks Up Against DeepSeek and Other Rivals
This particular model has shown very strong performance in benchmark tests, outperforming DeepSeek’s V3 on several technical tasks.
By promoting models like Qwen in an app rather than keeping them strictly for corporate or developer usage Alibaba is making a bold move to bring powerful AI directly into the hands of everyday users.
Market Reaction and Broader Implications
The massive early adoption of Qwen has also had immediate financial implications.
Analysts think the strong start gives Alibaba credibility in the evolving AI race. While global rivals like OpenAI and Google remain influential, Alibaba is clearly staking its claim in the consumer-AI space, aiming to be a major player in China and, potentially, beyond.
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