As “Double 11” nears, a logistics center deploys over 800 sorting robots to handle clothing orders with precision. (Photo/Ni Lifang)

Chongqing - “Double 11” in 2025, known as China’s “Black Friday”, sees AI emerge as the new battleground for major e-commerce platforms. With AI applied across coupon distribution, logistics, and merchant services, this year’s shopping festival displays intelligent operations.

According to reports, Tmall, Alibaba’s e-commerce platform, allocated part of the 50 billion yuan (7.02 billion U.S. dollars) in coupons issued during this year’s “Double 11” using AI-driven decisions. This approach boosted coupon redemption by about 15% compared with previous years.

AI has also made logistics more efficient. JD.com, another major e-commerce platform in China, has integrated large AI models with robotic equipment for the first time in its logistics operations. JD’s AI models can calculate optimal logistics plans within two hours, while coordinated robot operations increase frontline delivery efficiency by nearly 20%.

The application of AI extends beyond logistics and coupons, enhancing user behavior analysis and helping platforms and merchants optimize business operations. This year, Tmall and Alibaba’s other e-commerce platform, Taobao, have increased AI research and development investment, raising computing power 40-fold. Their user behavior analysis capability has expanded from a six-month cycle to a ten-year cycle, improving product recommendation accuracy and purchasing efficiency by about 25%.

JD also provides merchants with AI-based large model support, helping improve operational efficiency during peak order and inquiry periods. Leveraging AI-generated personas and customized voice technology, merchants can create digital human IPs within one hour, enabling more precise consumer interactions. Data shows that with AI assistance, the accuracy of handling complex issues reaches 98%, while conversion efficiency rises by 31%.

According to China’s state media, CNR News, Li Mingtao, an e-commerce expert, noted that the deep integration of AI with e-commerce is the biggest highlight of this year’s “Double 11”. AI is reshaping the e-commerce ecosystem across traffic distribution, consumer experience, and merchant operations.

Li noted that platforms now provide mature AI tools for both consumers and merchants. They offer personalized services on the consumer side and support product selection, inventory, and supply chain optimization for merchants, effectively lowering costs and boosting promotion efficiency.