Alibaba International’s generative AI toolkit now used by half a million merchants as API calls double every other month

Singapore, (ANTARA/PRNewswire) – Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group (“Alibaba International”) today announced that approximately 500,000 merchants have already adopted its generative artificial intelligence (AI) toolkit across more than 40 e-commerce scenarios. Since the toolkit was launched in November last year under the “Aidge” brand, its average daily application programming interface (API) calls have doubled every two months, now exceeding 50 million. Currently, more than 100 million product listings on Alibaba International’s platforms have been extensively refined and adapted to multiple languages using AI, enabling merchants to expand their market reach and increase purchase conversions.

AI is playing an increasingly important role in driving operational efficiency for merchants across Alibaba International’s e-commerce platforms. Collectively, these platforms have applied generative AI to more than 40 e-commerce scenarios, from product listing and marketing refinement to customer service, design, and process automation. In each use case, generative AI has led to statistically significant increases in content quality, click-through rates, conversion rates, or customer satisfaction—sometimes by double digits.

AI capabilities now extend far beyond basic functions such as translating and generating text and images. Using advanced AI capabilities to personalize and solve complex problems, Alibaba International has applied the technology to areas such as customer service, chargeback defense, and refunds.

In the customer service space, AI’s 24/7 availability to deliver instant, informed answers—using data from product detail pages (technically known as Retrieval Augmented Generation, RAG)—can effectively answer customer queries and facilitate purchasing decisions. After adopting AI customer service in June 2024, AliExpress Choice, AliExpress’ premium service that offers customers free shipping, guaranteed on-time delivery, and free returns, saw a 29% increase in conversion rates from pre-sale queries.

AI also protects small and medium-sized businesses from financial hardship caused by the common problem of chargebacks. When a consumer initiates a chargeback, Alibaba International’s Chargeback Agent immediately generates a dispute letter on behalf of the seller involved, using order information such as payment and logistics details. A pilot application from Alibaba International suggests that the tool increases the success rate of seller chargeback defenses by an average of 15%.

Building on its initial success, Alibaba International is in the process of launching AI Refund Agent, providing both sellers and consumers with a more flexible refund solution. Aiming to optimize customer satisfaction while reducing seller costs, this automated tool efficiently processes e-commerce transaction disputes and verifies evidence to calculate seller refund amounts.

AI also has the ability to lower product delivery costs for e-commerce retailers. For example, Alibaba International’s virtual try-on feature allows apparel retailers to effortlessly create images that showcase their products on virtual models, all by simply uploading an image of the item of clothing. It offers a wide range of model styles, allowing for a variety of product representations while also offering retailers a cost-effective alternative to traditional photo shoots with models.

“Global trade provides fertile ground for generative AI applications, especially as LLMs are enhanced with greater multilingual capabilities. It is clear that small and medium-sized businesses can benefit the most from AI advances, enabling them to overcome traditional barriers, including lack of access to talent and human expertise,” said Kaifu Zhang, vice president of Alibaba International, who leads the company’s AI initiatives.

In addition to its own platforms, Alibaba International is also working with external partners in the cross-border e-commerce space to expand the reach of AI benefits. “We strongly believe that in the e-commerce space, generative AI is the true catalyst for achieving Alibaba’s mission: to make it easier to do business anywhere,” Zhang added.

For more information, please visit: www.aidc-ai.com

About Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group

Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group is dedicated to supporting the development of global digital commerce with AI-based technology. It operates on various platforms with distinctive business models, covering many countries and regions around the world.

Source: Alibaba International