BEIJING: Alibaba is preparing to unveil the integration of its artificial intelligence (AI) platform Qwen and online marketplace Taobao, a move that seeks to drive shopping with conversations rather than keyword searches, according to a source familiar with the decision.

The move will enable consumers to browse, compare and purchase items via the Qwen app by chatting with the AI agent, rather than manually navigating product listings.

The Qwen app will have access to the entire Taobao and Tmall catalogue of over four billion products, backed by a "skills library" capable of managing logistics and after-sales services. It will also offer shopping recommendations based on users' order history and shopping preferences.

Inside Taobao, Alibaba will launch a Qwen-powered AI shopping assistant, which includes tools for virtual try-ons and 30-day price tracking.

Alibaba's push into AI-driven shopping highlights a gap between Chinese and Western e-commerce platforms; China's model allows AI to be embedded directly into live transactions.

In the United States, platforms are more fragmented: Amazon has used AI to improve shopping within its marketplace but remains cautious about full autonomy.

Canada's Shopify allows the use of external AI agents rather than running an integrated consumer AI platform. — REUTERS