Innovation of the Week: Alibaba International launches ‘world’s first’ AI agent for global trade

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Innovation of the Week is a series highlighting retail initiatives that have caught the eye of our team. Every week, we bring you new ideas and case studies across consumer, technology, sustainability, economy, policy and industry.

What is it?

Alibaba International has launched what it said is the “world’s first AI agent” for global trade.

Dubbed “Accio Agent”, this is the next part of the marketplace’s B2B search engine Accio, which has now surpassed two million users.

Users can input a product concept and the system will automatically generate a development plan equipped with market insights, regulatory guidelines and design specifications.

Alibaba International said it requires a single approval from the user, and the agent will work on tasks such as real-time supplier vetting to deliver a production-ready roadmap.

A final click will then send inquiries directly to already vetted sellers on Alibaba.com to allow buyers to decide on a supplier.

Why does it matter?

This next step marks Accio’s development from an AI-powered sourcing tool into an agentic AI platform.

The agent can automate 70% of traditionally manual workflows and put tasks such as product ideation and supplier sourcing into an AI-powered cycle.

Alibaba International’s latest survey of product-focused entrepreneurs revealed that 40% of global small and medium-sized businesses are run by solo entrepreneurs who have limited time, resources, and staff.

Accio Agent is said to overcome this challenge by compressing tasks, which typically take days, into a few minutes.

Strategic Implications

The company said compared to general AI agents, Accio Agent uses advanced language models to look at customer feedback and supplier performance to “uncover hidden strengths” such as specialised customisation capabilities.

Alibaba International vice president Kuo Zhang said: “Accio Agent is a highly practical tool that solves a multitude of problems for businesses sourcing globally. It’s an AI agent designed to help you do business.

It can handle multiple tasks simultaneously, operating like a team of dedicated professionals – sourcing agents, product developers, engineers, and market researchers – all working together to grow your business.”

Research from UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said AI in the ecommerce market is valued at $7.68bn in 2025 and expected to reach $37.69bn by 2032.