Alibaba taps China’s top generative AI start-ups to boost offerings on DingTalk

Alibaba Group Holding is giving developer access on DingTalk to six Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) start-ups to expand generative AI features on the workplace messaging platform, in its latest bid to gain an edge in the increasingly competitive market.

The Hangzhou-based e-commerce and cloud computing giant, which has built its own AI model Tongyi Qianwen, is partnering with MiniMax, Moonshot AI, Orionstar, Baichuan, Zhipu Ai and 01.AI to develop new AI functions for DingTalk, the platform said said on Wednesday.

The move comes as Alibaba, owner of the South China Morning Post, puts AI at the core of its business strategy and promotes DingTalk to more enterprise clients. DingTalk’s rivals, including Tencent Holdings’ WeCom and ByteDance’s Feishu, are also rushing to incorporate AI models into their products.

For the six start-ups collaborating with Alibaba, the tie-up is expected to help introduce their AI products to more users faster via China’s biggest workplace communication tool by user numbers.

By the end of 2023, DingTalk said it had over 700 million users, including 25 million organisations ranging from corporate to educational institutions.

DingTalk’s new AI partners represent some of the leading players in China’s heated race to catch up with top global competitors in the sector.