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Artificial intelligence
TechTech Trends

Alibaba tests generative AI tools for Taobao and Tmall merchants as new tech arms race heats up China’s e-commerce sector

  • The new generative AI tools are provided via a website called Huiwa, operated by Alibaba subsidiary Hangzhou Lianfan Information Technology
  • Huiwa’s AI tools, which are now being tested by selected online merchants, enable users to create both text and graphics content

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Alibaba Group Holding’s main Chinese shopping platforms – Taobao, displayed on a smartphone, and Tmall – are pushing new generative artificial intelligence tools to help merchants in marketing and promotion. Photo: Shutterstock
Kelly Le
Alibaba Group Holding has started testing new generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools for merchants on Taobao and Tmall via a website called Huiwa, as the Chinese e-commerce giant leverages the technology to boost sales at its main domestic retail platforms.
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The generative AI tools provided by Huiwa, operated by Alibaba subsidiary Hangzhou Lianfan Information Technology, enable merchants to create both text and graphics content. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post.
A merchant, for example, can input a brief description of a product, which prompts the tool to create customised content for marketing and promotion. Generative AI are algorithms, such as those used by ChatGPT, that turn out new content, including audio, code, images, text, simulations and videos based on specific prompts.

Huiwa’s tools, which are now being tested by selected online merchants, are also capable of producing images based on which angles and backgrounds for a product are required by users.

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Chinese AI-generated cartoon series broadcast on state television

Chinese AI-generated cartoon series broadcast on state television

Alibaba had no comment on the cost of using these AI tools or when it would be widely released.

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