Alibaba has launched an AI-powered search engine named Accio, designed to help small businesses in Europe and the Americas source wholesale supplies. The tool, which leverages Alibaba’s Tongyi Qianwen large language model, enables users to find products with simple text or image prompts, providing data on product popularity and projected profitability. In initial testing, Accio increased purchase intent by 40% compared to traditional search engines, according to Alibaba.com President Kuo Zhang.
The web-based tool, supporting multiple languages including English, German, and Spanish, draws from 1 billion product listings and documents from over 100 markets on Alibaba’s platform. Accio is part of Alibaba’s broader strategy to integrate generative AI technology, with recent advancements also seen in translation tools and customer service AI for merchants.