The battle for local life services is reigniting. Alibaba is accelerating the integration of AI capabilities into its local service ecosystem, planning to launch 3D image generation technology based on AI, helping catering merchants to automatically generate high-fidelity 3D store displays by simply uploading a few photos or a short video. This service, jointly launched by AutoNavi and the Local Services Business Group of Alibaba, aims to significantly reduce the online marketing barriers and costs for small and medium-sized merchants, becoming a key move for Alibaba to challenge Meituan's dominant position in takeout and in-store services.
AI 3D Modeling: Giving Every Small Store a "Digital Twin"
According to internal sources, merchants need only upload real-life photos or short videos of their stores taken with a mobile phone on the AutoNavi merchant backend. The Alibaba AI system can then generate an interactive 3D panoramic model within minutes, accurately reproducing details such as spatial layout, table arrangements, and decoration styles. This model will be directly embedded into the AutoNavi store page, Ele.me store, and Alipay local channels, enhancing user immersion and conversion rates.
"Previously, 3D modeling required professional equipment and fees of thousands of yuan, but now AI has made this almost free," said an insider close to the project. This move will greatly enhance the online competitiveness of small and medium-sized catering merchants, especially in high-tier cities where visual marketing is increasingly important.
AI Fully Empowered: A Key Step in Wu Yongming's Strategy
Alibaba CEO Wu Yongming has repeatedly emphasized the "AI First" strategy, requiring the deep integration of large model capabilities into all business lines. This 3D generation technology is a typical implementation of this strategy in takeout and local life scenarios. In addition to 3D modeling, Alibaba is also testing:
- AI-generated dish descriptions and recommendation scripts;
- Intelligent marketing campaigns based on LBS;
- AI customer service automatically handling reservations and returns.
Technology is just the beginning. Substantial financial investment is already on the way. It is reported that Alibaba plans to invest billions of yuan by 2025 through traffic subsidies, commission reductions, and free use of AI tools, encouraging merchants to join its local ecosystem, directly targeting Meituan's "Shen Qiang Shou" and JD.com's "Miao Song" initiatives.
Industry Impact: Subsidy War May Restart, Regulatory Pressure Increases
Alibaba's entry into the local life market with "AI + Capital" as a dual driver may disrupt the current relatively stable market structure. Although Meituan leads in takeout market share, Alibaba, backed by AutoNavi's 600 million monthly active users, Alipay's 1 billion users, and Ele.me's delivery network, has the ability to launch localized counterattacks in key cities.
However, another round of subsidy war may compress the industry's overall profit and attract regulatory attention. Previously, the State Administration for Market Regulation has repeatedly warned about the risks of "selling below cost." How to compete through technical differentiation (such as 3D experience) rather than pure price wars while maintaining compliance will be the key for Alibaba to break through.
AIbase Observation: AI Is Becoming the "New Infrastructure" for Local Life
While Meituan built its moat through field sales teams, Alibaba is trying to build a technological moat through AI. 3D modeling is just the surface; behind it lies the ambition to fully digitize and make computable physical stores, dishes, and services.
In today's context where "AI +" has become a national strategy, local life, as the largest offline consumption scenario, is becoming the main battlefield for AI application. The AI empowerment war ignited by Alibaba not only concerns market share but also determines whether future local services are driven by human labor or intelligent systems. The answer will be revealed on the streets and alleys in 2025.
