This week’s news roundup highlights several groundbreaking advancements from Alibaba Group.
Wanx 2.1, the latest AI-powered visual content creation model, sets new benchmarks in video generation. Tongyi Lingma AI Programmer revolutionizes software development by enabling collaborative AI-human coding. Cainiao’s upgraded GT Pro autonomous delivery vehicle offers enhanced logistics capabilities. Meanwhile, Accio AI Search Engine simplifies global B2B trade for SMEs. Finally, Tmall’s 2024 New Store Growth Report underscores its leadership in fostering entrepreneurship and consumer market vitality.
Together, these innovations showcase Alibaba’s commitment to driving efficiency, creativity, and business growth across industries.
Alibaba Cloud Unveils Wanx 2.1: Advancing AI-Driven Visual Content Creation
Alibaba Cloud has launched Wanx 2.1, the latest iteration of its multimodal large model Tongyi Wanxiang (Wanx), which initially debuted in July 2023. Designed to generate high-quality images and videos from text input, Wanx 2.1 represents a significant step forward in AI-powered visual content creation.
The upgraded model excels at generating realistic visuals by accurately managing complex movements, improving pixel quality, adhering to physical rules, and enhancing the precision of instruction follow-through. These advancements have propelled Wanx 2.1 to the top of the VBench leaderboard, a leading benchmark suite for video generative models. With an overall score of 84.7%, it leads in critical areas such as dynamic motion, spatial relationships, and multi-object interactions.
Wanx 2.1 showcases its ability to handle large-scale bodily movements and intricate rotations, even in challenging scenarios like figure skating, swimming, and diving. It maintains body coordination and realistic motion trajectories, setting a new standard for video generation. Additionally, it has achieved a milestone as the first video generation model to support text effects in both Chinese and English, meeting diverse creative needs across industries such as advertising and short video production.
The model is currently available for free on its official Chinese website. Individual developers and corporate users can explore its potential through Alibaba Cloud’s generative AI platform, Model Studio.
Alibaba Cloud Launches Tongyi Lingma AI Programmer for Enhanced Coding Efficiency
On January 8, Alibaba Cloud announced the full rollout of Tongyi Lingma AI Programmer, the first AI programming tool globally to support both VS Code and JetBrains IDEs. This advanced tool goes beyond traditional AI-assisted coding, enabling developers to collaborate with AI through conversational interactions to complete complex tasks such as end-to-end project development, issue resolution, and batch unit testing generation.
Powered by the upgraded Qwen 2.5-coder model, the AI Programmer excels in generating accurate and efficient code. It supports complex tasks like multi-file code editing, allowing developers to simultaneously modify multiple files, compare changes, and adopt modifications with a single click. In case of unexpected outcomes or requirement changes, developers can easily revert to previous states using a snapshot feature.
The tool also significantly improves unit testing by enabling batch generation of tests for single or multiple code files. It can automatically compile, debug, and fix errors to enhance accuracy and test coverage. Additionally, Tongyi Lingma breaks language barriers in coding, empowering developers to work seamlessly across languages like Java, Python, and JavaScript. For example, creating a fully functional and visually enhanced front-end page with user login and data management capabilities now takes just 10 minutes instead of half a day.
Cainiao Unveils Upgraded Autonomous Delivery Vehicle GT Pro
Cainiao has launched the GT Pro, its latest L4-level autonomous delivery vehicle for public roads, marking the first major upgrade since the Cainiao GT debuted in 2024. The GT Pro offers significant advancements in design, algorithm optimization, range, and interactive features. With dimensions comparable to a compact passenger vehicle, it is adaptable to diverse road scenarios and can carry 600–800 parcels within a 5-cubic-meter cargo space, achieving an impressive 180-kilometer range.
Upgrades include an interactive front light display for status communication and an enhanced sensor suite featuring one LiDAR and eleven high-definition cameras, enabling precise environmental perception. These enhancements improve its ability to detect and respond to surroundings more accurately.
Cainiao has accumulated over 5 million kilometers of real-world autonomous driving experience and has delivered more than 40 million parcels using autonomous vehicles, solidifying its leadership in the field. By December 2024, the GT series had been deployed across over 10 provinces in China, including Zhejiang, Shandong, and Jiangsu, with operations in more than 30 regions.
Looking ahead, Cainiao aims to advance from high-precision mapping to map-free navigation, expand use cases such as supermarket deliveries, and develop customized GT Pro models to meet various business needs. This progress underscores Cainiao’s commitment to innovation and efficiency in logistics technology.
500,000 SMEs Embrace Alibaba’s Accio AI for Smarter Sourcing
In just two months since its launch, Alibaba International’s AI-powered search engine, Accio, has revolutionized how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) source products globally. Already trusted by over 500,000 SMEs, Accio is reshaping the B2B trade landscape with its intuitive natural language processing capabilities.
The platform connects buyers to millions of suppliers across 7,600 product categories, making product sourcing simpler and more efficient. Its “Accio Inspiration” feature has driven nearly a 30% increase in supplier conversion rates, while tools like Accio Page and Accio Agent provide dynamic product comparisons and seamless follow-up for inquiries and logistics.
Accio proved invaluable during the holiday season, with over 50,000 SMEs relying on it to plan their Black Friday and Christmas inventory. Recognized as “Product of the Day” on Product Hunt and achieving a Net Promoter Score (NPS) exceeding 50, Accio is earning its place as an indispensable tool for global trade.
Supporting five languages, with more on the horizon, Accio continues to empower SMEs to make smarter sourcing decisions while saving time and resources. Discover the future of B2B sourcing at Accio.ai.
Tmall’s 2024 New Store Growth Report
Tmall’s 2024 New Store Report showcases impressive growth, with new merchant entries rising 83% year-over-year. Over 733 brands achieved annual sales exceeding 10 million RMB, and 32 surpassed 100 million RMB, reflecting the strong momentum of entrepreneurship and consumer market vitality. Tmall remains the top choice for brand building and growth.
Popular categories driving this success include phone accessories, snacks, cycling gear, tea sets, condiments, trendy toys, bags, and modern Chinese fashion. Notable trends include the rapid growth of phone case brands and the cycling gear sector, which saw a 77.8% sales increase. Newcomers like Rapha and HEXKIN quickly became leaders in their categories after launching on Tmall.
Guangzhou leads in entrepreneurial activity, with Quanzhou and Zhengzhou emerging as new hotspots. Tmall’s enhanced “Blue Star Plan” supports new brands with benefits like deposit waivers, traffic boosts, and promotional opportunities, helping merchants achieve rapid growth and success.
