What is Alibaba’s Qianwen? A Comprehensive Guide to the AI Assistant Challenging ChatGPT

Update Date: December 22, 2025

1. What is Qianwen?

Launched by Alibaba on November 17, 2025, Qianwen (also referred to as Tongyi Qianwen) is a consumer-facing AI assistant application. It represents a significant move by Alibaba to compete in the AI-to-Consumer market, directly challenging global leaders like ChatGPT. The app is built upon Qwen3, which is recognized as a top-performing open-source large language model globally .

The name “Qianwen” itself is meaningful. “Tongyi” signifies broad knowledge and universality, meaning the model can understand and answer questions across various domains. “Qianwen” represents its ability to answer thousands of questions, from common to complex, demonstrating its wide applicability .

Qianwen’s growth has been explosive. Within just 23 days of its public beta launch, its monthly active users surpassed 30 million, making it one of the fastest-growing AI applications in the world . Alibaba’s core management views the “Qianwen” project as a “future battle in the AI era,” underscoring its strategic importance .

2. Key Features and Characteristics of Qianwen

Qianwen is designed to be more than just a conversational AI; it aims to be a productive “personal AI assistant that can chat and get things done” . Its main features include:

• Advanced Reasoning and Problem-Solving:​ Unlike many chatbots that provide quick, sometimes superficial answers, Qianwen often demonstrates a strong “chain of thought” process. It breaks down complex logical puzzles, math problems, or user requests step-by-step, explaining its reasoning before arriving at a conclusion, which enhances reliability and makes it a valuable learning tool .
• Powerful Content Creation and Office Tools:
  • AI PPT:​ Users can generate a complete, beautifully designed PowerPoint presentation with a single sentence instruction. It supports 39 input formats and offers over 100,000 free templates, allowing for easy modification through conversation .
  • AI Writing:​ This function can write and edit various types of copy, including essays, novels, reports, official documents, resumes, and contracts. It comes with built-in templates from 1,000 universities, over 100 official document templates, and nearly 10,000 contract templates .
• Comprehensive Document and Research Analysis:​ Qianwen can handle long-form document analysis, supporting single documents of up to approximately 10 million words (about 13,000 pages). It automatically identifies structure, understands semantics, and extracts key information. It also supports batch analysis of up to 100 documents for cross-referencing . The AI Library feature allows users to “find materials with one sentence,” providing direct PDF downloads of resources like exam papers from a vast database .
• Multi-modal and Real-time Capabilities:​ The app integrates image recognition, voice dialogue, and real-time translation. Its “Automatic Routing” feature is particularly user-friendly; instead of searching for specific tools, users can simply make a request like “remove the crowd from this picture,” and Qianwen will automatically invoke the correct sub-tool (e.g., AI photo editing) to complete the task .
• Learning and Tutoring Assistant:​ It can grade entire pages of homework, generate diagnostics of weak points, explain mistakes, and provide study summaries. The AI tutoring function simulates a human teacher’s thought process, clearly presenting each step of problem-solving .

3. How to Use Qianwen? A Step-by-Step Guide

Getting started with Qianwen is straightforward and it’s currently free. Here’s how you can use it:

1. Download and Installation:
   • APP:​ Search for “通义千问” or “Qianwen” in your phone’s app store (iOS or Android). The developer should be “Alibaba Group Holding Limited” . Download and install the app.
   • Web Version:​ Visit the official website at https://tongyi.aliyun.com.
2. Registration and Login:
   • Upon first launch, you can quickly register using your mobile number or log in with an existing Alibaba ecosystem account (e.g., Taobao, Alipay, DingTalk account) .
3. Start Using the Core Features:
   • Basic Chat:​ After logging in, you will see a clean main interface with a central input box. Simply type your question and press enter. Qianwen will respond. The联网搜索 function is enabled by default, ensuring you get the latest information .
   • Document Analysis:​ On the main interface, click the “文档” (Document) icon in the bottom right corner. You can then upload local files (PDF, Word, Excel, etc.) or paste a webpage URL. After parsing is complete, you can ask questions specific to the document’s content .
   • AI PPT/Writing:​ You can activate these features by directly giving instructions in the main dialogue box, such as “Create a PPT about market trends in renewable energy.” Alternatively, you can explore dedicated channels or templates within the app for more structured creation .
   • Voice Dialogue:​ Click the microphone icon in the input box to use the voice conversation feature .

4. Official Address and Access Methods

• Official Website:​ https://tongyi.aliyun.com
• New Domain:​ tongyi.ai
• Mobile App:​ Available on iOS App Store and Android app markets (e.g., Huawei AppGallery, Google Play Store). Search for “千问” or “Qianwen”.
• Integrated within other Apps:​ Qianwen is also available as a plugin within DingTalk and can be activated in the Quark app (version 6.9.0 or above) by switching the sidebar to “Qianwen Q&A” mode .

5. Qianwen vs. Competitor Analysis

The Chinese AI assistant market is highly competitive. Here is a comparison of Qianwen with other leading products as of late 2025 :

A comprehensive ranking that considered technical performance, user experience, scenario adaptation, and ecosystem maturity placed Qianwen second overall among domestic AI models, just behind Zhipu Qingyan and ahead of DeepSeek and Doubao .

6. Typical Application Scenarios

• Students:​ For homework tutoring, generating essay outlines, preparing for exams using the AI library, and creating presentation slides for school projects.
• Office Professionals:​ Generating reports, creating business presentations (PPT), drafting emails and contracts, and analyzing large sets of documents or data.
• Content Creators:​ Writing articles, generating video scripts, brainstorming ideas, and editing images through voice or text commands.
• Everyday Users:​ Planning trips (future integration with Fliggy and Amap), getting cooking recipes, translating languages in real-time, and obtaining quick answers to diverse questions.

7. Value Proposition for Users

Qianwen offers significant value to its users:

• Increased Productivity:​ It automates and accelerates tedious tasks like PPT creation and document summarization, saving users hours of work.
• Accessible Expertise:​ It acts as a personal tutor, research assistant, and writing coach, making expert-level help available to everyone for free.
• Seamless Ecosystem Experience:​ For users already within the Alibaba ecosystem (e.g., shopping on Taobao, using DingTalk for work), Qianwen promises a future of unified AI-powered service access.
• User-Friendly Interface:​ Its “Automatic Routing” and clean interface lower the barrier to using advanced AI, making it accessible to non-technical users .

8. Latest Major Updates (Last 3-6 Months)

• November 17, 2025:​ Official public beta launch of the Qianwen APP, marking Alibaba’s full-scale entry into the AI-to-C market .
• December 10, 2025:​ Announcement that monthly active users surpassed 30 million. Simultaneous release of four new key features: AI PPT, AI Writing, AI Library, and AI Problem Tutoring for all users .
• Continuous Iteration:​ The app is reportedly updated on a weekly basis, with plans to deeply integrate life services like maps, food delivery, ticket booking, shopping, and health into the platform .

9. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Is Qianwen completely free to use? A: Yes, as of December 2025, the Qianwen APP is free for all users. There is no official announcement regarding the introduction of a paid tier in the immediate future .

Q2: How does Qianwen compare to ChatGPT? A: Qianwen is considered a strong competitor to ChatGPT, often described as the “Chinese ChatGPT.” It is built on a model (Qwen3) that benchmarks against top-tier closed-source models like GPT-4. A key differentiator is its deep integration with the Chinese digital ecosystem and a strong focus on practical productivity tools from the outset .

Q3: I can’t find a specific function (e.g., AI drawing). Where is it? A: Qianwen uses an “Automatic Routing” system. You don’t need to find the specific function entry. Instead, simply describe your need in the main input box (e.g., “Generate an image of a panda riding a bicycle”). The AI will understand your intent and automatically invoke the correct tool to fulfill your request .

Q4: Can Qianwen analyze a 100-page PDF document? A: Absolutely. Qianwen’s document analysis feature is very robust. It officially supports single documents of up to about 13,000 pages (10 million words). It can accurately understand and answer questions based on the content of large documents .

Q5: What are the future plans for Qianwen? A: Alibaba plans to make Qianwen a unified AI service entry point. This involves integrating various life services from its ecosystem, such as Alibaba’s map (Amap),外卖 (food delivery),订票 (ticket booking),办公 (office with DingTalk),学习 (learning),购物 (shopping with Taobao/Tmall), and健康 (health) services. The goal is for users to accomplish complex, multi-step tasks through simple conversations with Qianwen .

10. Conclusion

Alibaba’s Qianwen has made an impressive entry into the crowded AI assistant market. Its combination of a powerful underlying model (Qwen3), a clear focus on practical productivity features, a user-friendly interface with “Automatic Routing,” and the vast potential of its integration with Alibaba’s ecosystem makes it a formidable contender.

While it currently trails behind Doubao in terms of user scale, its rapid growth and unique value proposition suggest a bright future. For users, especially those in China or those heavily reliant on Alibaba’s services, Qianwen offers a sophisticated, capable, and currently free AI assistant that is well worth exploring.

Reference Articles and Data Sources

Fastest-growing globally, Qianwen’s monthly active users exceed 30 million – Tech China Net

Tongyi Qianwen – Sogou Encyclopedia

Alibaba Qianwen seeks questions across the Internet: AI personal assistant ushers in a new era – China.com

Alibaba Qianwen launches “AI Future Battle” fully competing with ChatGPT – News Express – New Hunan

Qianwen reaches 30 million monthly active users, introduces four new open AI features including PPT – Economy & Technology – People’s Daily

How to activate Qianwen intelligent Q&A feature: Complete guide to enabling Qianwen intelligent Q&A – AI – PHP Chinese Net

Tongyi Qianwen app latest version free download – Tongyi Qianwen latest app version V5.0.2 – Chippo Net

How to use Alibaba Tongyi Qianwen: Qianwen app download and long-document analysis feature review – AI – PHP Chinese Net

Large model test: Who is the “Hexagonal Warrior”?

Doubao, DeepSeek, Qianwen… Top ten domestic AI large models compared: Your smart companion?

Alibaba “Qianwen” released, AI entry point competition intensifies

Qianwen App tested: A domestically-made GPT easier to use

Citation Summary: This article synthesizes information and data from platforms including China Net, People’s Daily Online, China.com, New Hunan, PHP Chinese Net, Chippo Net, Guangzhou Daily, WeChat public articles, TMT Post, Tencent News, among others, to ensure accuracy, professionalism, and timeliness of its content. Key data such as monthly active users, feature details, and competitor comparisons are sourced from the aforementioned public reports or authoritative platforms.