Beijing, China — “Unbelievable! I thought she was a real person!” exclaimed a visitor at the 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) upon discovering that the popular livestreamer promoting beauty products was, in fact, a digital avatar named Yanxi.
Yanxi has made waves in the e-commerce sector, amassing over 400,000 hours of livestreaming for more than 5,000 brands and attracting at least 100 million views. According to a staff member at JD.com, the digital livestreamer allows merchants to establish their own e-commerce livestreaming rooms in just two hours, at a cost one-tenth that of hiring a human livestreamer. This innovation enables continuous 24/7 consumer engagement.
JD.com and AI Innovations
JD.com also introduced an AI-generated content platform at CIFTIS, which helps merchants create product images, marketing copy, and short videos with a single click, enhancing efficiency by over 90%. This showcases how AI technology is injecting new energy into the e-commerce landscape.
Alibaba’s AI Enhancements in Cross-Border Trade
At the same event, Alibaba.com unveiled comprehensive AI applications tailored for foreign trade. These applications streamline every step of cross-border trade—from procurement and product launch to logistics—integrating AI to provide sellers with market insights based on big data analysis.
Jiang Lin, head of Alibaba.com’s capital brand, noted that the platform tailors display models and pricing strategies according to specific country markets. Last year, the company introduced an AI business assistant now employed by over 30,000 small and medium-sized enterprises, drastically reducing the time required to publish products from 60 minutes to just 60 seconds.
Growth in Cross-Border E-Commerce
The impact of these innovations is reflected in China’s booming cross-border e-commerce sector, which saw imports and exports reach 1.22 trillion yuan ($174 billion) in the first half of 2024, a 10.5% increase. Liu Guangjun, head of Alibaba.com’s Chinese merchants division, emphasized that AI-driven digital trade services will offer one-stop export solutions, creating new growth opportunities in services trade.
Long Guoqiang, deputy head of the Development Research Center of the State Council, highlighted that ongoing advancements in digital technology are expected to further bolster the development of global services trade.
As AI continues to reshape the e-commerce landscape, the implications for efficiency and market adaptability are vast, positioning China as a leader in the digital trade revolution.