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Alibaba Launches Qwen Upgrade for In-Chat Ordering, Payments and Travel Booking

The public test recasts Qwen as an assistant that completes purchases within chat across Alibaba services.

Overview

  • Alibaba began public testing in China of a Qwen update that executes real-world tasks inside the chat interface.
  • Integration with Taobao, Alipay, Fliggy and Amap enables users to finish shopping, payments and bookings without switching apps.
  • Alipay authorization now works inside Qwen for instant commerce, with current end-to-end transactions concentrated on food delivery.
  • An invite-only Task Assistant can place real phone calls, process up to 100 documents simultaneously and plan multi-stop itineraries.
  • Qwen surpassed about 100 million monthly active users roughly two months after its November 17 public beta, with broader commerce features still under integration.