Alibaba unveils latest AI service for images in push for users
HighlightsAlibaba Group Holding Ltd. introduced Qwen VLo, an upgraded artificial intelligence model capable of generating images from text and modifying existing images, as part of its Qwen brand. The new Qwen VLo model features progressive generation technology, allowing users to observe the image creation process in real-time, enhancing user interaction and creativity. With a focus on artificial general intelligence, Alibaba aims to compete with other technology leaders in the rapidly evolving AI market, responding to innovations from companies like DeepSeek and OpenAI.
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.
unveiled a new iteration of its artificial-intelligence technology that will make it easier for users to generate and modify images from texts and visuals, as the Chinese ecommerce giant continues its aggressive push into AI.
The Hangzhou-based company introduced
Qwen VLo
, part of a series of AI services under the company's Qwen brand. The new model is an upgrade from Qwen2.5-VL and is now able to generate text-to-image and image-to-image results. It also has a technology called progressive generation, meaning users can see the process as an image is created.
'This newly upgraded model not only 'understands' the world but also generates high-quality recreations based on that understanding,' the company said in a blog post. 'You can directly send a prompt like 'Generate a picture of a cute cat' to generate an image or upload an image of a cat and ask 'Add a cap on the cat's head' to modify an image.'
Best known for its ecommerce operations in China, Alibaba has been charging into AI and building standalone offerings around Qwen. In February, Chief Executive Officer Eddie Wu went so far as to say the company's 'primary objective' is now
artificial general intelligence
, a goal in the industry to build AI systems with human-level intellectual capabilities.
With the new
Qwen multimodal model
, it's aiming to compete with a flurry of new visual interfaces in the market, including from OpenAI. It also faces aggressive domestic competition from the likes of DeepSeek.
After DeepSeek stunned the industry with a powerful model it said took just a few million dollars to build, China's technology leaders flooded the market with a rapid succession of low-cost AI services. Alibaba has rapidly updated its Qwen series, adding new capabilities to process text, pictures, audio and video — with the efficiency to run directly on phones and laptops. It unveiled a new version of its AI assistant Quark app in March.
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