Alibaba will host a press event on January 15, 2026, focusing on its consumer AI application, Qwen. The Qwen app has already surpassed 100 million monthly active users.
Alibaba positions Qwen as a unified AI gateway. The application integrates across key platforms, including Taobao, Alipay, Amap, and Fliggy. This strategic effort aims to embed AI deeply into consumer services and compete directly with other major AI models.
The announcement follows a period of strong stock performance, with shares surging in Hong Kong. Analysts identify the Qwen launch as the company’s next major catalyst. This event is part of a broader AI offensive, as Alibaba Cloud targets capturing 80% of the incremental growth in China's AI cloud market this year.