Alibaba Revamps AI App to Challenge ChatGPT, Boosts Stock

As of November 14th, 2025, Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group is overhauling its main mobile artificial intelligence app to make it more closely resemble OpenAI's ChatGPT. The company plans to update its existing "Tongyi" apps on iOS and Android, rebranding them as "Qwen," named after its flagship AI model.

Over the coming months, Alibaba will integrate advanced AI capabilities into the Qwen app to enable seamless in-app shopping experiences across its platforms, such as the Taobao marketplace. This strategic move is part of Alibaba's broader $53 billion investment plan in AI and cloud computing.

Alibaba's stock has gained over 86% in recent times, driven by the strong performance of its AI-powered cloud computing segment. In the first quarter of 2025, the company reported revenue of $34.57 billion, up 2% year-over-year, surpassing the consensus estimate. Its Cloud Intelligence Group revenue jumped 26% to $4.66 billion, fueled by growing demand for AI products and public cloud services.

Alibaba has dedicated more than 100 developers to the Qwen revamp, underscoring its commitment to developing a fully autonomous AI agent that can eventually be released internationally. While the updated app will remain free initially, the company intends to monetize its growing user base through paid consumer services in the future.