Khaberni - Giant Chinese technology companies enter a new phase in the artificial intelligence race known as «automated commerce», where companies like Alibaba and ByteDance compete to transform chatbots into integrated shopping and payment tools.
Last week, Alibaba updated its AI-powered chatbot Qwen, allowing users to complete transactions directly through the user interface, including ordering food and booking airline tickets.
This update links Qwen to Alibaba's broader e-commerce system, allowing users to compare personalized product recommendations from platforms such as Taobao or its travel site Fliggy, before completing payments via Alipay, all without leaving the chatbot.
In the past, Qwen could provide recommendations based on user requests, but users had to manually navigate between multiple platforms to complete purchases.
Widespread Transformation
This update reflects a broader shift among some global artificial intelligence companies from focusing on basic AI models to "automated artificial intelligence," which performs tasks on behalf of users with limited oversight.
Shaowen Wang, a research analyst at Counterpoint Research, mentions enhancing long-term user engagement, stating, "The digital transformation of commercial services can achieve optimal integration of user services and enhances their loyalty."
According to CNBC, Wang added that this allows companies to build a sustainable competitive advantage, often known as the "commercial fortress," which helps protect profits from competitors.
While the commercial applications of digital artificial intelligence are expected to range from autonomous driving to cybersecurity, e-commerce emerges as one of its earliest and most widespread applications, as giant payment and technology companies in the United States released their first versions in recent months.
In China, Alibaba is well-positioned to lead in digital commerce thanks to its advanced capabilities in large language models and its extensive e-commerce network covering clothing, food, housing, and transportation, according to Wang.
Wang said that Alibaba in China is well-placed to lead in agent-based commerce, thanks to its advanced capabilities in large language models and its extensive e-commerce network covering clothing, food, housing, and transport.
Alibaba's strategy could help the company compete against comprehensive applications like Tencent's WeChat, which is widely considered the leading comprehensive application in China, combining messaging, payments, e-commerce, and other services on a single platform used by over a billion users.
Other Chinese companies are also moving swiftly.
In December, ByteDance updated its popular AI-supported automated chat software Doubao to independently manage tasks such as ticket booking, by integrating it with e-commerce features on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.
The updated Doubao model was introduced on a prototype smartphone developed by ZTE as an all-encompassing AI assistant capable of performing multiple tasks on the user's mobile device.
However, some of Doubao's planned features were later scaled back after competitors raised privacy and security concerns.
During the earnings call held by the company in May 2025, Tencent's President Martin Lau stated that AI agents might become fundamental components in the WeChat ecosystem.
Charlie Dai, Vice President and Chief Analyst at Forrester, told CNBC, "AI agents will be essential for the evolution of comprehensive applications, and their success will depend on deep integration between payments, logistics, and social interaction."
Dai added that Chinese companies like Alibaba, Tencent, and ByteDance will compete to integrate agents into their platforms, but they all benefit from integrated ecosystems, rich behavioral data, and consumer familiarity with comprehensive applications.
Despite leading in basic AI models and their global spread, Western companies face more significant data fragmentation and stricter privacy regulations, slowing down the integration of services.
Among the American companies aiming for agent-based commerce are OpenAI, Perplexity, and Amazon.
Google is also exploring ways to establish itself as an "intermediary" between merchants, consumers, and AI agents.
Dai noted that "China will prioritize local integration and strategic expansion in specific regions, while American companies will focus on scalability and governance at the global level."
According to a study conducted by McKinsey in 2025, nearly half of consumers use artificial intelligence when searching online.
The report estimated that AI systems could generate economic value exceeding one trillion dollars for American companies by 2030, by simplifying important and routine decision-making processes for consumers.
