Analysis Report on Alibaba Qwen AI Assistant's Ecosystem Integration Strategy

Alibaba’s Qwen App was officially launched on November 17, 2025, and achieved the feat of exceeding 100 million monthly active users in just two months, making it one of the fastest-growing AI applications globally [0][1]. This achievement was underpinned by: exceeding 10 million downloads within a week of launch; and surpassing 30 million MAUs within less than one month [0]. According to 36Kr, the Qwen team stated that “we spent far less than our competitors”, and this growth was mainly driven by the synergy of the Alibaba ecosystem [2].

In terms of organizational structure, in early December 2025, Alibaba officially established the Qwen C-end Business Group, led by Group Vice President Wu Jia. This business group integrated the original intelligent information and intelligent interconnection-related businesses, covering multiple C-end product lines such as the Qwen App, Quark, AI hardware, and browsers [0][3]. Alibaba clearly stated internally that the primary goal of the Qwen C-end Business Group is to build Qwen into a “super APP” and become the primary entry point for users in the AI era [0].

At the press conference on January 15, 2026, Wu Jia, Vice President of Alibaba Group and President of the Qwen C-end Business Group, clearly defined the strategic positioning differences between “Quark” and “Qwen” for the first time [2]:

: AI browser, AI search. It is more like a tool that helps users quickly obtain information and complete specific tasks.

: AI assistant, it is more like a person. In addition to information retrieval, Qwen emphasizes understanding user needs, proactively providing solutions, and collaborating with users to complete consumption decisions and task execution [2][4].

Wu Jia further explained: “The dialogue box will evolve, and the demand for AI browsers and AI search will not disappear. Both Quark and Qwen are just different service interfaces for users.” According to user usage data, PC-side users are evenly split: half prefer using Qwen directly, while the other half are accustomed to opening Quark in a browser [2]. The common point of the two products is that all AI functions are supported by Qwen’s underlying capabilities.

On November 17, 2025, the Qwen App completed its version 6.0 upgrade, integrating Alibaba ecosystem businesses such as Taobao, Alipay, Taobao Flash Sale, Fliggy, and Amap in one go, and launched more than 400 AI task-performing functions [0][1]. This upgrade was described by the media as a “flash flood-like” update, marking Qwen’s transformation from a simple conversational assistant to an “AI assistant capable of completing complex real-life tasks” [1].

:

• Taobao, Taobao Flash Sale: Users can directly initiate shopping requests within Qwen, completing the entire closed-loop process from product recommendations, price comparisons, order placement to payment within the app [0]
• Intelligently generating low-cost flight ticket plans, batch flash purchasing multiple cups of drinks of different categories, and other complex tasks [0]
• Compared with traditional e-commerce AI tools (such as AI Universal Search, AI Help Me Choose), Qwen has achieved a qualitative change from a “search tool” to “task execution” [4]

:

• Deep integration with Alipay, supporting services such as payments, fee payments, and credit inquiries
• Integration with the Sesame Credit system, providing credit assessment and deposit-free services [4]

:

• System-level integration with Amap, making it the first leading map application to deeply integrate with Qwen [0]
• Integration with Fliggy Travel, supporting scenarios such as ticket booking and itinerary planning [0][1]
• Users can complete complex travel tasks such as “planning a two-day weekend trip to Hangzhou” with a single sentence

Qwen’s core differentiation lies in its realization of “Agent task execution” capability. With just a single sentence instruction from the user, the system automatically calls internal services such as Taobao Flash Sale and Alipay to complete order placement and payment, eliminating the operational fragmentation of traditional AI assistants that rely on redirecting to third-party applications [0][1].

:

• Invoked via the “Task Assistant” button within Qwen (currently by invitation only) [2]
• Supports multi-condition complex tasks such as “generating low-cost flight ticket plans” and “classifying and statistical data to generate visual reports” [0]
• The average task can produce results within 1-2 minutes [2]
• Supports automatic payment execution after user confirmation, with delivery to the designated location [2]

In an interview, Wu Jia emphasized: “The Qwen App is the first AI that can truly help users get things done”, and its unique advantage lies in the combination of the “most powerful Qwen model” and the “richest Alibaba ecosystem” [1]. This in-app closed-loop model officially upgrades AI from an “information provider” to an “action executor”.

In addition to life service scenarios, another key focus scenario for Qwen is efficiency-enhancing scenarios such as office, education, and government services [2]:

:

• Invoice recognition and account book generation: Facing nearly 100 electronic invoices in different formats, with just the instruction “Help me generate an annual expense reimbursement account book”, Qwen can automatically identify key information and generate a well-structured table [2]
• Automation of tasks such as document processing and data analysis

:

• Personalized learning tutoring
• Knowledge Q&A and explanations

:

• Policy consultation and interpretation
• Guidance on service procedures

Just 10 days after Qwen’s launch, Quark AI Glasses were officially launched as a hardware component of the “Qwen ecosystem” [0]. Priced from RMB 1,899 to RMB 3,799, these AI glasses are deeply integrated with the Qwen AI Assistant, and their functional design is fully built around the Alibaba ecosystem [5]:

• Amap navigation displayed in the field of vision
• Alipay’s “look to pay” feature
• Real-time price comparison on Taobao
• Fliggy itinerary reminders

The goal of this hardware layout is to allow users to stay within the service closed-loop built by Alibaba without taking out their phones [5]. According to media reports, the flagship model S1 of Quark AI Glasses is already “hard to get”, and core supplier Luxshare Precision has added new assembly production lines [6].

According to the “2025 Q3 China AI Application Market Report” released by QuestMobile, the domestic AI assistant market shows a clear echelon structure [7][8]:

Rank	Application	Monthly Active Users
1	ByteDance Doubao	172 million
2	DeepSeek	145 million
3	Tencent Yuanbao	32.86 million
4	Alibaba Group Products	(Not listed separately)

Data from CICC shows that ByteDance’s Doubao has exceeded 100 million daily active users (DAUs). The institution believes that indicators such as Doubao’s “user scale, retention rate, growth rate, and DAU-to-MAU ratio” all indicate strong certainty that its DAU will move to a higher threshold [8].

ByteDance is one of the first major tech companies to focus on AI To C, and Doubao has formed a clear first-mover advantage in the market [7][9]:

:

• Doubao launched a product card function within the app, integrating with Douyin Mall, initially realizing a closed loop from conversation to shopping [4]
• Launched vertical products such as Doubao AI Learning, covering education scenarios [9]

:

• On December 1, 2025, the Doubao team released a technical preview of the Doubao Mobile Assistant, realizing an AI phone through in-depth system cooperation [8]
• Cooperated with ZTE to launch the Doubao phone Nubia M153, priced from RMB 3,999, which was once scalped at a high price on second-hand platforms [6]
• ByteDance and ZTE have a solid foundation for in-depth strategic cooperation, and have carried out all-round cooperation from computing power infrastructure to end-side innovation [6]

Tencent’s strategy in the AI To C field is to overtake competitors by integrating with DeepSeek [7][8]:

:

• On February 13, 2025, Tencent Yuanbao integrated the full-version DeepSeek-R1, supporting both the Hunyuan and DeepSeek models [7]
• Later, Yuanbao was integrated into WeChat Search to deeply embed itself in the WeChat ecosystem [7]

:

• Tencent recently announced the upgrade of its large model R&D architecture, recruiting former OpenAI researcher Yao Shunyu for a key position, demonstrating clear determination in its AI strategy [6]

The rise of DeepSeek was the most significant event in the AI field in 2025. Its V3 version model and R1 inference model brought AI applications to widespread attention for the first time [7]. DeepSeek has 145 million MAUs, second only to Doubao [8].

The impact of DeepSeek on the industry is reflected in:

1. Open-source model capabilities
   : Breaking the monopoly of closed-source models
2. Significant cost reduction
   : Inference costs have dropped sharply, accelerating the popularization of AI applications
3. Industry landscape reshaping
   : Prompting competitors such as Tencent Yuanbao to integrate quickly [7]

Dimension	Alibaba Qwen	ByteDance Doubao	Tencent Yuanbao	DeepSeek
Ecosystem Integration	Full Alibaba Ecosystem	Douyin E-Commerce + Hardware	WeChat Ecosystem	Model Capabilities
Differentiation	Agent Task Execution	Software-Hardware Synergy	Social Entry Point	Open-Source & Low-Cost
Growth Strategy	Ecosystem Synergy	Hardware Breakthrough	DeepSeek Integration	Technology Inclusiveness
Hardware Layout	AI Glasses	AI Phone	To Be Observed	-

Chen Liteng, a life service e-commerce analyst at the NetEase E-Commerce Research Center, pointed out: “The evolution of AI assistants towards ‘task-completion capability’ is an inevitable direction of industry development, and Qwen’s in-app closed-loop model has verified the advantage of ‘ecosystem efficiency’.” [0][1]

:
The data assets accumulated within the Alibaba ecosystem, such as products, services, and user feedback, enable Qwen to directly call the standardized massive product information, real-time inventory, and accurate prices from platforms such as Taobao and Tmall, avoiding the most intractable problems of “data cleaning” and “system integration” in external solutions [4].

:
The complete transaction link from consultation to order placement and payment, as well as user trust habits, have long been established within the Alibaba ecosystem. Qwen can seamlessly embed itself into this ecosystem without building from scratch [4]. The synergy of infrastructure such as Alipay payments, Cainiao Logistics, and Sesame Credit reduces the user’s threshold for use.

:
Key players such as platforms, brands, and service providers are all under Alibaba’s unified business system and strategic goals, so the coordination cost is much lower than that of cross-company industrial cooperation [4]. Compared to the Agentic e-commerce solution launched by Google in partnership with more than 20 retail and payment giants such as Shopify and Walmart [4], Qwen’s path is less difficult to implement and faster.

Wu Jia emphasized that Qwen’s unique advantage lies in the combination of the “most powerful Qwen model” and the “richest Alibaba ecosystem” [1]. The abundant product supply and massive real transaction data generated daily within the Alibaba e-commerce ecosystem provide unique advantages for AI training [4].

:

• Continuously train the model using ecosystem data
• High-frequency alignment of real-time service information across various business lines
• Continuously improve the accuracy and practicality of outputs [4]

After DeepSeek, Tang Jie, founder of Zhipu AI, clearly stated: “The Chat war is over; the next is the Agent war.” [2] The Qwen team envisioned this scenario as early as the product’s launch: evolving from Chat to a truly usable tool that can complete more difficult tasks [2].

Qwen’s Agent functions have achieved:

• Understanding user needs and proactively providing solutions
• Collaborating with users to complete consumption decisions
• Executing specific actions such as order placement and payment [4]

The internal entry point conflicts within Alibaba are more intense and realistic than competition with external competitors [5]:

:

• The usage rate of Quark’s AI functions is less than 20%, and nearly 80% of usage time is still spent on tools such as cloud storage and scanning [5]
• Users’ perception of Quark still remains as a “useful tool” rather than an AI innovation [5]
• Quark is downgrading from a product with independent user mindset and commercial closed-loop to a functional traffic entry point [5]

:

• Lingguang comes from the Ant Group system, positioned as a multi-modal mini-app generator, naturally integrated with the Alipay Mini Program ecosystem [5]
• Before being renamed “Qwen”, the Tongyi App never used Alibaba’s most powerful large model [5]

:
Doubao’s DAU has stably exceeded 100 million, forming a clear user mindset [2][7]. Qwen needs to prove that its differentiated value is sufficient to attract users to switch from Doubao.

:
The rise of DeepSeek has changed the industry landscape, prompting competitors to integrate and optimize quickly [7]. Qwen needs to maintain competitiveness in model capabilities.

:
Google has launched an Agentic e-commerce solution in partnership with more than 20 retail and payment giants such as Shopify, Walmart, and Visa, attempting to establish unified technical standards and protocols [4]. If this concept is realized, shopping entry points will gradually shift from traditional merchant platforms to interactive interfaces centered on AI dialogue, and Google is expected to become a new-generation traffic aggregation hub [4].

OFweek’s analysis pointed out that Qwen’s current competitiveness “comes from Alibaba’s systematic endogenous capabilities”, but this also naturally defines the boundaries of its capabilities [4]:

• Qwen’s efficiency and fluency are more about the intelligent upgrade and traffic redistribution of Alibaba’s existing ecosystem
• It is still some distance away from creating a brand-new, open shopping entry point [4]
• For the vast number of other small and medium-sized merchants and non-Alibaba platform merchants, Qwen is more like a “feast for others” [4]

Although Qwen has realized in-app closed-loop, it still has unstable experience issues [2]:

• Freezing occurs during task execution
• Many scenarios require human intervention
• The Agent function is currently by invitation only and has not been fully rolled out [2]

:

• Continuously integrate more businesses and polish the fluency of “one-sentence task completion”
• Improve the accuracy of task execution
• Reduce decision-making costs for users within the Alibaba ecosystem [4]

:

• Gradually roll out the Agent function from invitation-only to full availability
• Cover more high-frequency life scenarios
• Medical and government services scenarios are key priorities for the next step [0][1]

:

• Optimize recommendation accuracy based on full-link data within the ecosystem
• Achieve a personalized experience where “it understands you better the more you use it” [4]
• With user authorization, bring in the user’s context and provide multiple solution options [2]

:

• Break the “ecosystem shell” and transform endogenous capabilities into exportable industry solutions [4]
• Establish a traffic closed-loop based on ecosystem cohesion, from top-level design to value spillover [4]
• Explore opening intelligent services to non-Alibaba merchants

:

• Currently, Qwen has no commercial clients and has not yet been commercialized [2]
• In the future, it can consider providing personalized recommendation services with user authorization
• Balance user experience and commercial monetization

Wu Jia stated: “The era of AI completing tasks has just begun, and some capabilities are still being explored. We will move forward step by step to build the Qwen App into the most powerful AI assistant for humans.” [1]

From a longer-term perspective, Qwen’s value should not only be measured by how many intelligent experiences it creates within the Alibaba ecosystem, but also by whether it can redefine the service paradigm of the AI era [4]. As Huayuan Securities pointed out, competition for AI entry points will continue to unfold, and mobile terminal sides, super APPs, and vertical AI platforms will continue to promote user education and acquisition for AI Agent entry points from different dimensions [8].

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[0] Time Finance - Alibaba Rebuilds a Super App? Qwen Exceeds 100 Million MAUs with 400 New Functions Launched (https://www.tfcaijing.com/article/page/5968794768772b704d66414f4b3069486773396651513d3d)

[1] Sina Finance - Alibaba Rebuilds a Super App? Qwen Exceeds 100 Million MAUs with 400 New Functions Launched, Ushering in the Era of AI “Task Completion” (https://finance.sina.cn/stock/jdts/2026-01-15/detail-inhhkwcr3240279.d.html)

[2] 36Kr - Wu Jia, Head of Qwen, Responds to 15 Key Questions for the First Time After Qwen’s Launch (https://eu.36kr.com/zh/p/3641479608881030)

[3] Sina Finance - Alibaba Rebuilds a Super App? Qwen Exceeds 100 Million MAUs (https://finance.sina.cn/stock/jdts/2026-01-15/detail-inhhkwcr3240279.d.html)

[4] OFweek Weike - In the End, Qwen Took on Everything (https://mp.ofweek.com/ai/a556714160637)

[5] OFweek - Quark’s Crossroads: Identity Dilemma Under Alibaba’s AI Strategy (https://m.ofweek.com/ai/2025-12/ART-201700-8610-30675306.html)

[6] Cailianshe - 2026 AI Application Outlook: Doubao, Qwen, Yuanbao Accelerate “Territory Expansion”, AI Native Hardware Focuses on “Real Demand” (https://finance.eastmoney.com/a/202512293604741393.html)

[7] Time Finance - Review of 2025: From Models to Hardware, from Burning Money to Generating Revenue, AI Applications Stage an “Entry Point War” (https://www.tfcaijing.com/article/page/4c6c6249493430444330394e435375524e37567770413d3d)

[8] The Paper - Global Race! AI Entry Point War, China is Slightly Faster (https://m.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_32309308)

[9] QuestMobile - 2025 Q3 China AI Application Market Report