Alibaba's AI Assistant Gets Smarter: Voice Commands Now Handle Daily Tasks

Imagine ordering your favorite bubble tea or booking a weekend getaway without ever touching your phone screen. That future arrived today as Alibaba unveiled major upgrades to its Qwen app, transforming it into what may be the most advanced personal assistant yet.

Seamless Integration Across Alibaba's Ecosystem

The upgraded Qwen now connects deeply with Taobao, Alipay, AutoNavi maps, and Fliggy travel services. During a striking demonstration at the launch event, Wu Jia from Qwen's Consumer Business Group showed how saying "Order 40 Bawang Cha Ji drinks for me" triggered instant processing through Taobao Flash Sales - no app switching required.

"This isn't just voice recognition," Wu explained. "Qwen understands context and handles multi-step processes that previously required human intervention."

Behind the Technological Leap

The breakthrough comes from significant improvements in three key areas:

• Real-time tool building through enhanced coding capabilities
• Full-modal understanding that processes various input types
• Advanced context processing allowing complex task planning

Beyond Shopping: A True Life Assistant

The integration extends far beyond retail. Qwen now connects to:

• 50+ government services (visa applications, housing funds)
• Travel planning via Fliggy and AutoNavi
• Restaurant reservations with actual phone call capabilities

The limited-release "Task Assistant" feature takes this further by offering human-like planning skills for complex requests.

Key Points:

• Over 400 new AI functions available in public testing
• Complete transactions across Alibaba services using only voice
• Potential to save hours on routine tasks weekly
• Government service integration could streamline bureaucratic processes
• Travel planning combines mapping with real booking capabilities