Hong Kong, CNN — Chinese technology giant Alibaba has introduced its latest artificial intelligence reasoning model, QwQ-32B, which it claims outperforms rival models from OpenAI and Chinese startup DeepSeek. The announcement on Thursday sent Alibaba’s Hong Kong-listed shares soaring by 8% and contributed to a broader boost in the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index.
A Competitive Leap in AI Reasoning
Alibaba’s online statement positioned QwQ-32B as a game-changer in the AI space. The model is said to deliver “exceptional performance, almost entirely surpassing OpenAI-o1-mini and rivaling the strongest open-source reasoning model, DeepSeek-R1.” OpenAI-o1-mini, released last year, is the American company’s cost-efficient reasoning model.
The Chinese company further emphasized that QwQ-32B marks a “qualitative leap in mathematics, coding, and general capabilities.” Alibaba highlighted that despite its model containing 32 billion parameters—significantly fewer than DeepSeek-R1’s 671 billion—it still delivers comparable, if not superior, performance. Having fewer parameters suggests that QwQ-32B is a more efficient model to train, potentially giving it an edge in scalability and cost-effectiveness.
Rising Competition in AI Innovation
The announcement of QwQ-32B follows the launch of Manus, a “general AI agent” developed by another Chinese company, Monica. Unlike conventional chatbots, Manus is designed to handle complex multi-step tasks such as screening resumes and creating websites. A promotional video for Manus showcases its capability to deliver actionable results, such as generating property investment reports based on user-defined criteria.
Alibaba’s latest AI advancement comes amid an intensifying AI race in China, with local companies competing against established Western players. DeepSeek, which made headlines in January with its powerful R1 model, demonstrated that Chinese firms can build highly efficient AI systems at a fraction of the cost of their Western counterparts. The success of DeepSeek has played a crucial role in boosting investor confidence in China’s AI sector, contributing to a 30% surge in the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index since the beginning of the year.
Alibaba’s Expanding AI Portfolio
Alibaba has been aggressively expanding its AI initiatives. In 2023, the company introduced Tongyi Qianwen, a ChatGPT-like chatbot, as part of its entry into the generative AI market. In January, it launched Qwen 2.5 Max, a model that the company claimed surpassed the performance of DeepSeek’s highly regarded V3 model, which had debuted only weeks earlier.
To maintain its competitive edge, Alibaba has committed substantial financial resources to its AI and cloud computing divisions. Last week, the company announced a plan to invest at least 380 billion yuan ($52.4 billion) in these areas over the next three years—an amount surpassing its AI and cloud computing investments of the past decade combined.
China’s Push for AI Leadership
The unveiling of QwQ-32B aligns with broader national efforts to strengthen China’s position in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. On Wednesday, Chinese leaders reaffirmed their commitment to supporting “industries of the future,” with a particular focus on AI, humanoid robots, and quantum computing. Increased funding and policy backing for these fields are expected to further accelerate innovation in the country’s tech sector.
As China continues to foster its AI ecosystem, companies like Alibaba are increasingly positioning themselves as formidable challengers to Western AI giants. With its latest advancements, Alibaba is making a bold statement in the global AI race, signaling that Chinese firms are not only catching up but also setting new industry benchmarks.
With the AI landscape evolving rapidly, the competition among tech giants is expected to intensify. Whether QwQ-32B lives up to its ambitious claims remains to be seen, but for now, Alibaba has undoubtedly captured the industry’s attention.
For more updated online news visit https://newsnestify.com/
