Alibaba.com unveiled a new “AI Mode” that embeds agentic AI directly into its B2B platform, enabling buyers to compare suppliers and generate sourcing recommendations through natural language queries. The feature, powered by Alibaba’s Accio AI search engine, launches in December as the company reports a 57% year-over-year rise in European orders and a 50% increase in global supplier participation. Alibaba.com said AI Mode will unlock the “hidden product shelf” by surfacing specialized SMEs previously overlooked by keyword-based search, advancing its goal of making AI the “operating system” of global trade.
Alibaba.com launches ‘AI Mode’ amid major surge in global trade activity

Paul Drecksler is the founder and editor of Shopifreaks E-commerce Newsletter, covering the most important stories in e-commerce.
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