How Alibaba’s Tech Powers the Future of New Retail

01 Unprecedented Commercial Challenges

Alibaba supports 15 million merchants on its Taobao and Tmall platforms, with over 10,000 daily applications, 700 million monthly active users, and a peak Double‑11 transaction rate of 49.1 k transactions per second, illustrating the scale and pressure on its infrastructure.

The company is transitioning its product focus from a shelf‑centric e‑commerce model to a broader lifestyle platform, investing heavily in 5G, AR, 3D, live streaming, short video, and other immersive shopping experiences.

02 Technology as Business Engine

Alibaba’s technology division tackles three key tracks—FashionAI, iHome, and fast‑moving consumer goods—to explore new e‑commerce opportunities, aiming to build a suite of vertical apps each with over 10 million daily active users, collectively generating hundreds of billions of GMV.

Core B2B tools such as Alibaba Cloud, QianNiu, and DingTalk form the backbone of the ecosystem, enabling merchants to reach consumers and fostering a thriving two‑sided market.

03 Technology Defines Future Business

The four pillars of technology value are experience, cost, efficiency, and monetization. By improving user experience and operational efficiency, Alibaba seeks to increase average order value through personalized, scenario‑based shopping.

Mobile Neural Network (MNN), an open‑source mobile‑side AI framework, brings machine‑learning inference to devices, enabling smarter recommendations, automated product pairing, and real‑time personalization.

Live streaming now drives over 100 billion RMB in GMV, with 20 billion daily video plays and 60 000 simultaneous live streams during peak events, highlighting the importance of content and interactive commerce.

04 Alibaba’s Tech Philosophy

Alibaba’s technology ethos centers on craftsmanship, cumulative growth, simplicity, and the integration of tools, products, and platforms to serve users at scale.

The company has built comprehensive platforms for content, intelligent marketing, edge computing, user growth, and merchant operations, which collectively support Taobao, Tmall, Xianyu, and other businesses.

Looking ahead, AI will automate product pairing and enhance decision‑making, while horizontal and vertical applications will leverage machine intelligence and third‑party expertise to drive user growth across diverse categories such as fashion, home décor, and second‑hand markets.