Alibaba has launched an updated tool called QoderWake that allows users to create AI-powered "digital employees" that can work within various office communication platforms, including those of its rivals ByteDance and Tencent. The tool enables users to generate digital workers using a single-line description of the required role, and these employees can perform tasks autonomously on platforms such as DingTalk, Feishu, and WeCom. Alibaba claims that QoderWake has already deployed nearly 100,000 digital employees over the past three months, executing around 2 million tasks. The move reflects a shift towards business-facing applications of AI models by domestic tech giants in China.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-09,
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same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Alibaba's cloud computing division has launched a tool called QoderWake that allows users to create digital employees using artificial intelligence. These digital workers can be deployed within popular workplace communication platforms in China, including DingTalk (owned by Alibaba), Feishu (owned by ByteDance), and WeCom (owned by Tencent). The tool uses a single-line description of the required role to generate fully functioning workers that can operate autonomously and interact with shared documents, calendars, and group chats. This move marks a shift in the approach of domestic tech giants like Alibaba, which are pivoting their AI models towards business-facing applications and incorporating rival products at the application layer. The goal is to create lucrative and complex enterprise workflows.
Written for “Alibaba Digital Employees Arrive” on 2026-09-09,
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No political leaning scored for article 7399 · logged 2026-09-09
Alibaba sends AI ‘digital employees’ to work in rival apps from ByteDance,
asserted
Alibaba → send → ByteDance
Tencent
QoderWake tool now lets users create assistants that can function within office communication platforms from rivals, as well as Alibaba’s
The latest version of the QoderWake tool, launched by Alibaba Cloud on Tuesday, allowed users to generate fully functioning workers using a single-line description of the required role, the company said.
asserted
company → let → role
These digital workers could then be put to work within any of China’s three major workplace communication platforms: Alibaba’s DingTalk, ByteDance’s Feishu and Tencent’s WeCom.
uncertain
workers → put → platforms
QoderWake’s digital workers could “operate seamlessly” within the three workplace platforms, autonomously absorbing context from shared documents, calendars and group chats, Alibaba said on Tuesday.
uncertain
Alibaba → operate → Tuesday
The move reflects how domestic tech giants are aggressively pivoting their costly AI models towards lucrative business-facing applications capable of executing complex enterprise workflows.
asserted
giants → reflect → workflows
Meanwhile, they are open to incorporating rival products at the application layer, shifting away from their traditional “walled-garden” approach.
asserted
they → incorporate → approach
Beyond customised roles, QoderWake also had 10 ready-to-use roles, including product manager, data analyst, user interface designer and front- and back-end developer, the company said.
asserted
company → have → manager
These roles had been fine-tuned using data from top-tier industry teams, allowing them to undertake real-world tasks without requiring additional training, it added.
asserted
it → tune → training
Since its initial release in April, QoderWake had deployed nearly 100,000 digital employees, executing around 2 million tasks across real-world enterprise scenarios over the past three months, the company said.
asserted
company → deploy → months