Alibaba's Quark gets AI-powered 'deep search' for enhanced search results
What's the story
Alibaba Group's AI app, Quark, has gained a new "deep search" feature. The innovative addition comes as part of a larger trend of Chinese tech giants reimagining search engines for the AI era. Unlike traditional search engines that rely on keywords, Quark's deep search leverages Alibaba's Qwen AI models. These models blend reasoning capabilities with online searches to deliver accurate answers to complex queries.
Strategic move
Quark's deep search: A new step for Alibaba
The launch of the deep search feature comes as Alibaba's latest attempt at consumer-facing AI products. The Hangzhou-based tech giant hopes to use its foundational models to improve app experiences for regular users. Zhang Fan, head of Quark's search business, said the platform "will focus on user needs and continually enhance the deep search function" with a goal to become "an all-around AI assistant."
Market success
Outshining competitors to become China's top AI app
Since its launch in March, Quark has quickly become popular in China, outpacing rivals like Doubao (owned by TikTok parent ByteDance) and DeepSeek. This is according to Aicpb.com, a platform that tracks the popularity of AI products. The rise of Quark highlights the increasing appetite for sophisticated AI-driven search capabilities among Chinese consumers.