Alibaba launches AI agent for international merchants

Alibaba International launches the first AI Assistant for global commerce: this is an advanced extension for its B2B search engine Accio, which enables merchants to automate the entire purchasing process, right down to price negotiations.

Smart assistant

With the introduction of the Accio Agent, Alibaba International is pushing for further automation and international growth. The company is positioning its b2b search engine, which already has more than two million users, no longer just as a sourcing tool, but as a platform that actively supports users in the entire purchasing process on a global scale. 40% of SMEs worldwide are currently run by solo entrepreneurs struggling with time, resources and staffing, Alibaba says.

Unique to the new tool is the use of a virtual agent, which provides greater efficiency and speed in transactions between businesses worldwide. Trained from 1 billion products and 50 million supplier profiles, the Accio Agent can automate 70% of traditionally manual workflows. This enables companies to now have their negotiation, communication and purchasing processes handled directly by an intelligent digital assistant. An otherwise weeks-long search is reduced to minutes, Alibaba claims. Accio should become an essential link for companies committed to automation and digital efficiency within their procurement strategy, says the company, which plans to invest heavily in further international rollout.