Reference News Network January 23 report: According to the website of the U.S. Consumer News and Business Channel on January 21, as companies such as Alibaba and ByteDance compete to upgrade chatbots into full-function shopping and payment tools, Chinese tech giants are entering a new AI field called "intelligent agent commerce."

Last week, Alibaba upgraded its Qwen AI chatbot, allowing users to complete transactions directly within the conversation interface, covering scenarios such as meal ordering and flight booking.

This upgrade has connected Qwen with Alibaba's entire e-commerce ecosystem, enabling users to compare personalized product recommendations from platforms like Taobao and Fliggy Travel directly within the chatbot, and complete payments through Alipay, all without leaving the conversation interface.

Previously, although Qwen could provide recommendations based on user commands, users still had to manually switch between multiple platforms to complete the purchasing process.

This upgrade reflects the overall strategic shift of global AI companies, moving from focusing on foundational large models to "intelligent agent AI." These AI systems can perform various tasks with minimal human intervention.

"The intelligent transformation of commercial services can maximize user service integration, thereby enhancing user stickiness," said Wang Shaochen, an analyst at "Compare Method" Technology Market Research Company. Enhancing user stickiness means companies can gain more stable long-term users.

He added that this will help companies build sustainable competitive advantages, commonly referred to as a "moat," thus resisting competitors' impact and ensuring profit stability.

Although the commercial application scenarios of intelligent agent AI are expected to cover areas such as autonomous driving and cybersecurity, e-commerce has become one of the earliest and most widely applied fields. In recent months, major payment and tech companies in the United States have also launched initial related products.

Wang Shaochen stated that with advanced large language model technology and a vast e-commerce network covering clothing, food, housing, and transportation, Alibaba has a first-mover advantage in the intelligent agent commerce e-commerce sector in China.

Alibaba's strategy may help it compete with super apps like WeChat. As a mainstream "super app" in China, WeChat integrates social, payment, and e-commerce functions, with a user base exceeding 1 billion. Other Chinese tech companies are also accelerating their layout.

Last December, ByteDance upgraded its popular AI chatbot "Douyin." By integrating with Douyin E-commerce features, Douyin is now able to handle tasks such as flight bookings independently.

The upgraded version of Douyin is also embedded in ZTE Communications phones, functioning as a full-scenario AI assistant to operate user devices and complete tasks. However, some of Douyin's planned features have been reduced following privacy and security concerns raised by competitors.

Meanwhile, Liu Zhiping, President of Tencent, stated in a May 2025 earnings call that intelligent agents are expected to become a core component of the WeChat ecosystem.

"Intelligent agents will be the cornerstone for the evolution and upgrading of super apps. Their success depends on the deep integration of payment, logistics, and social scenarios," said Dai Kun, Vice President and Chief Analyst at Forrester Research, in an interview.

Dai Kun noted that although Chinese companies such as Alibaba, Tencent, and ByteDance will compete in embedding intelligent agents within their platforms, they all possess advantages such as integrated ecosystems, massive user behavior data, and high consumer familiarity with super apps.

He added that while Western companies are leading in foundational AI model development and global market coverage, they face challenges due to fragmented data and stricter privacy regulations, resulting in a slower cross-service integration process.

Currently, U.S. companies involved in intelligent agent e-commerce include the OpenAI Research Center Global Company, "Clarify" AI Company, Amazon, and Google, which are also exploring their positions, aiming to become the "bridge" connecting merchants, consumers, and AI agents.

"Chinese companies will prioritize deepening domestic integration and expanding strategically to specific regions; while U.S. companies will focus on global scaling and governance system building," Dai Kun said. (Translated by Yang Ke)

Original: toutiao.com/article/7598381434025296427/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.