Large models are accelerating their penetration from "cloud conversations" to "life services." This time, Alibaba is bringing AI into the transportation sector.

On March 23, the Qwen app officially launched the "AI Ride-Hailing" feature. Users no longer need to frequently tap the screen to select departure and destination points; instead, they can complete the entire process of comparing prices, selecting a car, and hailing a ride through natural language commands. This is another major move by Qwen in the life service field, following its previous steps in office work and content creation.

Powerful Foundation: Top Five Global Models Drive 300 Million Monthly Active Users

The launch of this AI ride-hailing feature is supported by the strong performance of Qwen.

Model Strength: The flagship model of Qwen ranks among the top five globally and first in China on the global large model blind test ranking LMArena, demonstrating strong intent understanding capabilities.

User Base: As of February 2026, the monthly active users of Qwen have exceeded 300 million, and this large user base will directly drive traffic to AI travel services.

Intense Competition: Tencent's "Lobster" Agent and Didi's "Xiaodi" Are Preparing to Launch

As Alibaba takes the first step, other internet giants are also increasing their investments in the AI travel ecosystem:

Tencent: At the earnings call on March 18, Tencent clearly stated that WeChat will integrate its core AI strategy—"Lobster" Agent. In the future, users may be able to complete various services through conversation within WeChat, and the product is still under development.

Didi: As the leader in the transportation sector, Didi has recently launched an AI assistant focused on transportation—"Xiaodi"—aiming to reinforce its competitive advantage in the vertical market.

Industry Insight: From "Manual Operation" to "Natural Interaction"

The competition in ride-hailing software is undergoing a fundamental transformation, from manually entering addresses to AI voice-based ride-hailing. The integration of AI agents makes ride-hailing no longer just about matching traffic but about accurately executing user intentions.

For consumers, the launch of Qwen AI ride-hailing means a lower operational barrier; for traditional ride-hailing apps, a battle over an interaction revolution has already begun against a new competitor with 300 million monthly active users and cutting-edge AI technology.