PYMNTS.com·2026-02-02 15:51Core Viewpoint - Alibaba plans to invest 3 billion yuan (approximately $432 million) during the Lunar New Year to promote its Qwen AI app, intensifying competition among China's tech giants in the consumer-facing AI chatbot market [1][2][4]. Group 1: Investment and Marketing Strategy - The spending initiative will commence on February 6 and aims to attract users through incentives related to dining, drinks, entertainment, and leisure, including large red envelope-style rewards [3][6]. - This investment is about three times the amounts announced by competitors Tencent and Baidu, highlighting the aggressive marketing strategies employed by major tech firms during the festive season [4][6]. Group 2: Competitive Landscape - The competition in China's AI sector is intensifying, particularly following the launch of advanced domestic models that have disrupted the market [7]. - Several AI companies are synchronizing product upgrades with the holiday period, with DeepSeek expected to release its next-generation V4 model in mid-February [8]. Group 3: Consumer Behavior Insights - Data indicates that consumers tend to remain loyal to the first AI chatbot they try, which influences companies to utilize familiar growth strategies from payments and eCommerce to drive downloads and habitual use [9].