August 14, 2025
5 min read
South China Morning Post
Alibaba’s Accio AI Agent Set to Revolutionize Online Merchants’ Product Sourcing
Alibaba Group Holding’s international commerce division has unveiled a new artificial intelligence agent, Accio Agent, designed to transform how merchants source products and supplies online. The Accio Agent, developed by Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group (AIDC), aims to automate up to 70% of traditionally time-consuming tasks such as product ideation, prototyping, compliance checks, and supplier sourcing. This innovation is expected to drastically reduce the time and effort merchants spend on market research and product sourcing—from weeks to just minutes. This advancement is part of the emerging trend of "agentic purchase," where AI agents manage the entire process from product discovery to fulfillment. Such technology could fundamentally reshape existing models of online search, advertising, and e-commerce, especially as other tech giants like Amazon introduce their own AI agents. The AI agent is particularly beneficial for small and medium-sized businesses, including solo entrepreneurs, by lowering costs and accelerating operations. Zhang Kuo, vice-president at AIDC, highlighted that Accio Agent can perform multiple tasks simultaneously, functioning like a team of sourcing specialists, developers, engineers, and market researchers."[Accio Agent] is designed to help you do business," Zhang said, emphasizing the agent’s capability to streamline complex sourcing processes.
Key Benefits of Accio Agent
- Automates 70% of sourcing-related tasks
- Reduces market research and product sourcing from weeks to minutes
- Supports small and medium-sized merchants to streamline operations
- Handles multiple tasks simultaneously, mimicking a professional team As AI continues to advance, Alibaba’s Accio Agent represents a significant step toward more efficient and intelligent international commerce.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is Alibaba's Accio Agent?
Alibaba's Accio Agent is a new artificial intelligence agent developed by Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group (AIDC) designed to automate and streamline the product sourcing process for online merchants.How much time does Accio Agent save merchants?
Accio Agent can reduce the time spent on market research and product sourcing from weeks to mere minutes by automating tasks like product ideation, prototyping, and supplier sourcing.What types of businesses benefit most from Accio Agent?
The agent is particularly beneficial for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and solo entrepreneurs, helping to lower costs and accelerate their operations.What tasks can Accio Agent perform?
Accio Agent can handle a range of tasks including product ideation, prototyping, compliance checks, and supplier sourcing, functioning similarly to a team of sourcing specialists, developers, engineers, and market researchers.What is "agentic purchase"?
"Agentic purchase" refers to a trend where AI agents manage the entire purchasing process, from product discovery to fulfillment, potentially reshaping e-commerce models.Crypto Market AI's Take
Alibaba's Accio Agent exemplifies the growing trend of AI-powered solutions revolutionizing various industries, including e-commerce and supply chain management. This innovation aligns with our platform's focus on leveraging AI for market intelligence and operational efficiency within the digital asset space. As AI agents become more sophisticated, their integration into business processes promises significant productivity gains, much like how AI is transforming cryptocurrency trading and market analysis.More to Read:
Source: Originally published at South China Morning Post on Thu, 14 Aug 2025.