Photo credit: Alibaba Group
This week, Alibaba Cloud’s cloud computer “Wuying” released an AI education application to improve students’ learning experience and support teachers.
In other news, luxury sporting goods are gaining traction on Chinese e-commerce platform Tmall, with Xianyu showing off a new look.
Alibaba Cloud’s Wuying launches AI tutor to enhance learning and teaching
The application, powered by the large-scale language model Qwen, can be accessed through a student account on Alibaba Cloud’s Wuying cloud computer.
Students can interact with educational chatbots that can answer students’ questions and guide them in solving math and IT problems step by step.
You can also interact with AI-powered virtual characters that can deepen your understanding of China’s cultural traditions.
“As a digital technology platform, we are committed to leveraging digital technology to inject vitality into education, making it more sustainable and inclusive,” said Huang Guijing, senior vice president of Education at Alibaba Cloud.
The application is being showcased during Digital Learning Week, UNESCO’s (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) annual flagship event on digital learning and education transformation.
By March 2025, the AI application is expected to be deployed in 200 primary and secondary schools through the Cloud for Youth program.
The program was launched in 2021 and has provided more than 180,000 students and teachers in more than 20 provinces in rural China with access to learning materials and applications through Wuying AI Cloud Classroom.
Summer of Sports Drives Luxury Consumer and Brand Activity on Tmall
Chinese luxury shoppers have been flocking to Tmall more frequently this summer in search of top-quality sportswear and other sports equipment.
According to data from Tmall, between June 1 and Aug. 27, trading volume of luxury sporting goods on the platform increased 55% year-on-year.
Luxury brands have also followed suit, launching over 800 sports-related products on their e-commerce sites.
Italian fashion house Gucci has launched tennis skirts as well as polo shirts featuring the brand’s iconic red and green motif on the collar.
Shoe lovers are in for a treat too: London-based designer Jimmy Choo has teamed up with American golf apparel company Malbon to launch a stylish, sporty line of spiked golf shoes.
Looking for a new basketball? You’re in luck: Milan fashion house Versace has also launched a collection of luxury outdoor sports gear, including dumbbells, yoga mats and more.
Xianyu Updates Website to Better Meet Consumer Interests
Alibaba’s online flea marketplace Xianyou revamped the look of its mobile app this week, part of a broader shift from a second-hand goods platform to a lifestyle community.
The new version focuses on interest-based channels that users can browse, as well as more content sections and product recommendations.
Item suggestions will also be tailored to specific user demographics: “In the future, Xianyu’s homepage may be different for each user,” Xianyu president Jian Ding said in a statement.
Xianyou, which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, is China’s largest consumer-to-consumer community and second-hand goods marketplace.
In April, the platform had 162 million monthly active users, according to Chinese data aggregator QuestMobile.
Chinese tourists choose the road less travelled for 2024 summer holidays: Friggy
Bookings for domestic travel tours on Alibaba Group’s platform Fliggy increased by double digits this summer compared to last year, as Chinese tourists headed out to explore their home country.
While big cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen maintained their appeal, smaller, more niche destinations also gained popularity.
Travel with Alizila and discover China’s hottest new attractions
Young innovators use AI to transform global e-commerce in Alibaba contest
This week, young people from around the world gathered in southern China to compete in artificial intelligence innovations for the Alibaba Group’s annual Global E-commerce Challenge (GEC) to determine the 2024 winner.
Now in its fourth year, the competition pits teams of university students and graduates against each other in applying AI to solve common problems faced by e-retailers and consumers.
Read the full story now
