Beijing: Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group (9988.HK) has launched a new AI chatbot assistant service integrated into its Quark app, marking a renewed push into the consumer-facing artificial intelligence sector currently dominated by ByteDance and Tencent.
The company announced the launch, describing the new service as part of its broader effort to enhance user experience through intelligent, real-time digital tools.
The Quark app, which originally debuted as a web browser, has been repositioned this year as Alibaba’s flagship consumer platform, incorporating advanced AI capabilities such as smarter search functions and voice-enabled assistance.
According to Alibaba’s statement, the new chat assistant service is free to use and allows users to interact through a chatbot interface that supports both text and voice communication. It provides real-time information, insights, and services, positioning Quark as a comprehensive digital companion for everyday needs.
Until now, Alibaba’s AI initiatives have been primarily focused on enterprise clients through its cloud services division. This latest development marks a significant step toward expanding its consumer base, an area where the company has faced challenges, particularly following the limited uptake of its Tongyi AI assistant app.
Despite being one of the first major Chinese tech companies to publicly release a consumer AI assistant app in late 2023, Tongyi has struggled to gain significant market traction.
As of September 2025, the app recorded 6.96 million monthly active users, according to AI product tracker Aicpb.com. By contrast, competitors such as ByteDance’s Doubao lead the market with 150 million monthly users, followed by DeepSeek with 73.4 million, and Tencent with 64.2 million.
Globally, demand for AI-powered assistants continues to surge, with companies like Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI integrating them into their Gemini, Copilot, and ChatGPT platforms, respectively.
Alibaba said that the new Quark AI Chat Assistant is powered by its latest Qwen3 model, delivering enhanced reasoning, comprehension, and execution capabilities. The company emphasized that this technology upgrade would provide users with a more intuitive and intelligent digital interaction experience.
In a separate announcement, Alibaba revealed that pre-sales for its Quark AI Glasses will begin at midnight on October 23, via its Tmall e-commerce platform. The company confirmed that order fulfillment will commence in December, and the AI-powered glasses will be priced at 4,699 yuan ($659.69).
Alibaba had first unveiled the Quark AI Glasses in July, signaling its entry into the wearable AI technology market, where it joins global players like Meta Platforms (META.O). These smart glasses aim to blend AI-assisted functions with daily usability, expanding Alibaba’s footprint in the fast-growing segment of intelligent consumer devices.
The twin announcements reflect Alibaba’s ongoing ambition to revitalize its consumer technology ecosystem and reclaim ground in a market increasingly driven by AI innovation, interactivity, and personalization.
ALSO READ | Mosquitoes found in Iceland for 1st time after record heat
