Alibaba, the Chinese e-commerce giant, is preparing to launch its own version of a chatbot assistant, called Tongyi Qianwen. The chatbot will be integrated into Alibaba’s ecosystem of tech businesses, such as the workplace messaging app DingTalk and the Tmall Genie voice assistant smart speaker.
Tongyi Qianwen will be able to communicate in both English and Mandarin, and its initial tasks will include turning conversations into written notes, writing emails, and drafting business proposals. The new product from Alibaba draws comparisons to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, released in November 2022 and later integrated into Microsoft’s internet browser, Bing.
Alibaba’s entry into the AI race with Tongyi Qianwen is significant as it highlights the growing trend towards chatbots and AI assistants in the technology industry. However, the question remains whether Tongyi Qianwen will be able to perform more creative tasks like its American counterpart, ChatGPT.
