The Numbers
Alibaba's Qwen app drew more than 10 million downloads in the week after its relaunch. That's a strong start for the company's effort to build a ChatGPT rival.
Alibaba shares climbed more than 5% Monday in Hong Kong after disclosing the numbers in a WeChat blog post.
The rapid ramp follows Alibaba's move this month to rename and refresh its pre-existing iOS and Android apps. The services now unified under the Qwen banner.
The Context
Qwen's debut shows how AI apps have set new highs for rapid adoption. ChatGPT was fastest to 100 million users three years ago.
Alibaba's Qwen is among the faster risers, particularly in China where ChatGPT is unavailable.
"Whether or not they can leverage the Qwen app to drive their to-consumer business will be an important factor influencing the company's future valuation," said Kenny Ng, strategist at China Everbright Securities International.
The Ant Connection
Alibaba fintech affiliate Ant Group made a similar statement over the weekend. It introduced its own multimodal AI assistant LingGuang last week.
LingGuang has been downloaded more than a million times in the four days since launch.
The Strategy
Alibaba will gradually add agentic AI features to support online shopping. That spans platforms including its marquee Taobao marketplace.
The goal is making Qwen a fully functioning AI agent in coming months.
"Alibaba plans to deeply integrate core lifestyle and productivity services — including digital maps, food delivery, travel booking, office tools, e-commerce, education, and health guidance — directly into the Qwen App," the company said.
The Rebrand
Under CEO Eddie Wu, Alibaba has rebranded itself as an AI-first business. The strategy will be assessed when the company fields investor questions after disclosing quarterly results Tuesday.
The Bottom Line
Alibaba's Qwen hit 10 million downloads in its first week, becoming one of China's fastest-growing AI apps as the e-commerce giant pushes its AI-first strategy and plans to integrate shopping features across Taobao and other platforms.
