Alibaba's Qwen AI App Surpasses 10 Million Downloads in One Week as It Targets ChatGPT Competition

Alibaba's relaunched AI app, Qwen, has rapidly gained traction, surpassing 10 million downloads within its first week of launch. This milestone marks a significant step in Alibaba’s ambitious AI-first business strategy under the leadership of CEO Eddie Wu, who is focused on making Alibaba a global AI powerhouse capable of competing with OpenAI's ChatGPT.

Qwen, powered by Alibaba Cloud’s open-source AI model series, serves as a versatile AI assistant designed for both personal and professional use. Its widespread adoption is fueled by the company's strategy to offer the app free of charge, contrasting with the subscription-based models favored by many international competitors. This approach is helping Alibaba carve out a larger share of the AI user base by lowering barriers to entry and encouraging broad experimentation.

The app's rapid user growth exemplifies Alibaba’s broader commitment to open-source AI. The Qwen model family, especially the latest versions, excels in multilingual support, complex contextual understanding, and integration with cloud services. With over 600 million downloads across the entire Qwen model ecosystem and more than one million users actively engaging on Alibaba’s AI development platform, Model Studio, Alibaba is positioning itself as a key player in the generative AI space.

In addition to competing with ChatGPT, Qwen challenges subscription-heavy AI tools by offering comprehensive AI functionalities—ranging from chatbot interactions to advanced content generation—without charge. Alibaba’s strategy includes fostering development through an ecosystem that encourages derivative model innovation and enterprise adoption, addressing diverse market needs globally.

CEO Eddie Wu’s push aligns with Alibaba’s vision to turn AI into a foundational technology, powering everything from e-commerce to cloud computing. The successful relaunch of Qwen is a concrete step toward that vision, signaling Alibaba's dedication to closing the AI gap with Western rivals and expanding its influence in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.