Alibaba's Qwen Deep Research Expands Multimedia Output, Bolstering AI Competition

Executive Summary

Alibaba's Qwen Deep Research has unveiled significant enhancements, enabling users to transform comprehensive research reports into live webpages and podcasts with a single click. This upgrade positions Qwen as a formidable competitor in the AI research and content generation sector, particularly given its zero-cost access model. The development occurs amidst a broader context where Chinese artificial intelligence systems are demonstrating notable performance advantages over their American counterparts in simulated cryptocurrency trading environments.

The Event in Detail

Qwen Deep Research now offers an integrated workflow where users can submit research questions via Qwen Chat. The AI system then conducts extensive web searches, analyzes data from various public sources, and compiles a comprehensive report, complete with citations. A key new feature is the capability to convert these detailed reports into dynamic webpages or audio podcasts instantaneously. The podcast functionality provides diverse host voice options and generates a conversational dialogue between two AI hosts discussing the research findings.

This system is capable of producing substantial research, delivering 4,000-word reports within approximately 12 minutes. The offering's accessibility is further amplified by its completely free availability, allowing unlimited usage for individuals and small enterprises with budget constraints.

Market Implications and Competitive Dynamics

The introduction of these advanced multimedia generation capabilities, coupled with Qwen Deep Research's free pricing, significantly alters the competitive landscape for AI research tools. While Gemini 2.5 Pro may retain a marginal edge in overall quality, Qwen's cost-free access presents a compelling alternative, particularly for solopreneurs, students, and small businesses seeking powerful AI research without incurring significant expenses. This strategy by Alibaba challenges established paid platforms and democratizes access to sophisticated AI-driven research functionalities.

Business Strategy and Accessibility

Alibaba's decision to offer Qwen Deep Research as a free service can be interpreted as a strategic move to capture market share and foster widespread adoption. By removing financial barriers, Qwen aims to integrate its AI tools into a broader user base, potentially leveraging scale for future developments or ecosystem integration. This approach contrasts sharply with the high development and operational costs associated with models from competitors such as OpenAI, which reportedly expended over $5.7 billion on research and development in the first half of 2025, with estimated training budgets for models like ChatGPT-5 ranging between $1.7 billion and $2.5 billion.

Broader Context: AI Performance in Cryptocurrency Markets

Further illustrating the competitive intensity within the AI sector, recent data from CoinGlass indicates that Chinese AI models have demonstrated superior performance in cryptocurrency trading simulations compared to their American counterparts. In tests conducted on the decentralized exchange Hyperliquid, the DeepSeek model, developed at a cost of $5.3 million, achieved a positive return of +9.1%. In contrast, Qwen3 Max by Alibaba Cloud recorded a minimal loss of 0.5%, Grok registered a 1.24% loss, and ChatGPT-5 by OpenAI experienced a substantial decline of over 66% in its balance. DeepSeek's success was primarily attributed to its strategy of employing leveraged long positions on major cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, BNB, Dogecoin, and XRP. This performance disparity highlights the evolving capabilities and strategic differentiations among global AI developers, particularly in the application of AI to complex financial markets like cryptocurrency.