Reuters11:00 PM ET, 03/16/2026
UPDATE 1-Alibaba launches AI platform for enterprises as agent craze sweeps China
Adds more background and details from the release from paragraph 3 onwards
BEIJING, March 17 (Reuters) - Alibaba Group 9988.HK on Tuesday launched an artificial intelligence platform for enterprises targeting automation, intensifying competition in China’s rapidly evolving AI agent market following the OpenClaw craze that has gripped the country’s tech sector.
The platform, called Wukong, can coordinate multiple AI agents to handle complex business tasks including document editing, spreadsheet updates, meeting transcription and research within a single interface. It is currently available for invitation-only beta testing.
The launch came a day after Alibaba unveiled its reorganization under the newly established Alibaba Token Hub (ATH) business group, signaling a company-wide push into enterprise AI agents. Wukong is the flagship product from the Wukong Business Unit under ATH.
Users can access Wukong as a standalone desktop application or through DingTalk, Alibaba’s collaboration platform, which serves more than 20 million corporate users.
The platform will connect with other messaging services including Slack, Microsoft Teams and WeChat, according to a press release.
The move comes as OpenClaw, an open-source AI agent tool, has gripped China in recent weeks, with users eager to install and experiment with agent products.
This has prompted tech firms to join the trend even as authorities warn of security risks. Companies including ByteDance, Tencent 0700.HK and AI startup Zhipu have also launched similar offerings.
(Reporting by Liam Mo and Miyoung Kim; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Thomas Derpinghaus)
((liam.mo@thomsonreuters.com;))
