Alibaba International’s New AI-Powered ‘Aidge’ Aims to Break Language Barriers in Global Commerce
SINGAPORE, Dec. 4, 2023 -- The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the possibilities of business today, especially in the realm of e-commerce. Generative AI applications have enhanced the user experience and operational processes, allowing for more targeted sales strategies and digital content that meet growing consumer demands.
Credit: Alibaba Group
Technology players at the forefront of AI development, such as Alibaba International, recognize the benefits of these capabilities and have invested significant resources to unleash its potential. In the words of Jiang Fan, CEO of Alibaba International, "The use of AI has revolutionized everything from product development and management to market insights analysis and customer service."
With the purpose of fostering global commerce development, Alibaba International is looking to increase its investment in AI to improve merchants' operational efficiency and drive consumer satisfaction. Its recent pilot launch of the AI-powered suite "Aidge" is a case in point, which is tailored to boost merchant productivity and put AI technology into full use.
Local language requirements, the costs of integrating AI into business operations, the competition for talent, and the innovation needed to win and retain market share are the common obstacles faced by companies, particularly SMEs, when scaling up. This is where a full suite of AI tools capable of breaking down local language and cultural barriers for merchants can play an important role, resolving challenges and helping companies stay ahead of the curve.
Streamlining Business Operations
The recently introduced AI suite Aidge, which is an acronym for "AI for Digital and Global Entrepreneurship," aims to level the playing field for SMEs. By leveraging Alibaba International's proprietary large language models (LLMs) and computer vision technologies as well as the company's deep pool of operational insights, this AI-powered toolkit addresses challenges faced by SMEs when entering new markets, enabling them to create localized and appealing marketing content, enhance customer service, perform analytical tasks and even optimize search results - all without language and cultural barriers. The result is reduced costs, improved efficiency and a higher chance of gaining overseas customers.
Credit: Alibaba Group
The integrated AI capabilities offered by Aidge hold promise for companies of all sizes and industries, alleviating talent shortages and opening doors to international growth. With Aidge, even a small business with no prior global sales experience can effortlessly venture into new and unfamiliar markets, benefiting from its advanced features that facilitate seamless business adaptation.
For Aidge to reach its potential to resolve day-to-day operational issues, Aidge is rolling out its services to merchants on Alibaba International's e-commerce platforms and intends to serve more SMEs through collaborations with industry partners. Global software as a service (SaaS) providers and independent software vendors (ISVs) are welcome to participate in the pilot testing, while a staged rollout by region is anticipated by the end of this year.
An Essential Part of Business
Market statistics indicate that the global AI market is poised to surpass US$300 billion by 2026, making it an indisputable trend that businesses must actively embrace and capitalize on. Enabling SMEs from around the world to conduct business in their native language while accessing cutting-edge technology that may be otherwise unavailable in-house, is a fundamental pillar driving the development of the global e-commerce industry.
The pilot launch of Aidge signifies just the initial step in Alibaba International's foray into the realm of AI. The novelty of AI technologies calls for its collaboration with industry stakeholders to not only test, but also co-define its use cases, with the ultimate goal of simplifying global business operations for SMEs and unlocking new avenues for growth, with the help of AI.
Source: Alibaba International
