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digital human + life streaming + e-commerce

Author

Elaine Wong
May 08, 2024

CIW News is a free email newsletter on China tech trends.

  • AI digital persona achieved over 10 million viewers within 30 minutes of live streaming on JD.com.

  • Viewer count surpassed 13 million within 40 minutes, setting a record high

  • Nearly 20 million tuned in within the first hour, with average viewer duration 5.6 times longer

The integration of artificial intelligence in e-commerce has taken a new turn in China, with significant implications for both technology and consumer interaction. As exemplified by the recent debut of a digital avatar representing Liu Qiangdong, the founder of JD.com, during a live streaming event, this trend signals a pivotal shift in digital marketing strategies.

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AI-integrated PCs are expected to constitute 85% of new computer setups in China, marking a significant shift from cloud-based to device-local AI applications.

The infusion of AI is redefining the entire PC ecosystem—from silicon and operating systems to the end-user experience.

AI integration is not just about enhancing computational capabilities but also about reimagining the PC as an intelligent entity that can anticipate user needs and handle complex tasks.

In the first quarter of 2024, China’s smartphone market exhibited robust growth, highlighted by a significant 6.5% increase in shipments, reaching approximately 69.26 million units, according to IDC.

The resurgence of Huawei and the continued dominance of Honor exemplify the competitive landscape of China’s smartphone market. Both brands led the market, with Huawei’s return marked by a remarkable 110% increase in sales from the previous year, driven by the popularity of its nova 12 series, according to IDC.

Similarly, Honor captured the top spot with a 17.1% market share, buoyed by its Magic 6 series and foldable screen products, which saw a 123.3% surge in shipments for models priced above $600.

Huawei’s Mate X5 and the new Pocket 2 have firmly positioned Huawei at the forefront of this niche, holding a 44.1% market share, IDC reports…

AI | CIW SUBSCRIPTION
AI Patent Landscape in China

Tencent and Baidu have emerged as the leaders in AI invention patents in China, claiming the top two spots with 15,626 and 13,723 patents respectively.

They are followed by Ping An Group, which holds 13,139 patents. Other notable entries in the top ten include State Grid, Huawei, Ant Group, Alibaba, JD Group, OPPO, and China Mobile, highlighting the diverse industries investing heavily in AI technology.

The report projects that by 2027, the AI market in China will reach an estimated value of 1.3 trillion yuan, representing an annual compound growth rate of 35.6%. This growth is expected to account for approximately 83% of the overall AI market in China, indicating a substantial influence on the national economy.

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China’s retail sector showed a robust increase in March, with total retail sales of consumer goods climbing to 3.9 trillion yuan ($568 billion), marking a 3.1% rise compared to the same month last year, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics released on April 17. Excluding automobiles, sales rose by 3.9% to nearly 3.5 trillion yuan.

For the first quarter of 2024, the total retail sales reached approximately 12 trillion yuan, a 4.7% increase year-over-year. Sales excluding cars also mirrored this growth rate, amounting to 10.9 trillion yuan.

As Douyin (internationally known as TikTok) expands its local services sector—consisting primarily of restaurant dining, comprehensive local services, and travel—it has rapidly claimed a significant market share, matching the performance of established giants like Meituan.

Douyin’s sales in these services exceeded 100 billion yuan in the first quarter of this year alone, doubling year-over-year and matching the last quarter’s performance.

In April, Douyin restructured its local services sales team to extend its reach to more small and medium-sized businesses, aiming to close the gap with competitors like Meituan, which has maintained a stable sales volume of around 200 billion yuan in the last two quarters.

Previously, Douyin’s sales teams were divided by industry and scale, ranging from small local merchants to large core clients. The recent changes have eliminated these distinctions, with large accounts now managed by the newly established National Key Accounts department and smaller merchants handled regionally, simplifying performance metrics to focus solely on post-discount sales.

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BRIEF BLASTS

🔼 CATL reported a profit increase in Q1 2024 despite a 10.41% drop in revenue, marking its first decline in 14 quarters. The company's focus on cost control and operational efficiency contributed to a 7.00% rise in net profit.

📈 Alibaba's rose to 38.6 billion yuan in Q1, powered by strong e-commerce and cloud computing growth, though earnings per share were below expectations.

📱 China leads the shift to a cashless economy with 70% daily usage of WeChat Pay, influencing regional payment systems and digital wallet integration.

🚗 Tencent partners with Mercedes-Benz and EA to release 'Need for Speed™: Assemble,' enhancing in-car entertainment with new technologies in China.

🤖 Baidu is set to launch a ChatGPT-style AI chatbot, aimed at enriching its search engine capabilities by providing direct answers.

💼 Four Chinese AI start-ups are striving to rival the success of US counterparts like OpenAI and Anthropic.

  • 📈 Valuations of these Chinese start-ups range from $1.2bn to $2.5bn, with significant backing from domestic investors.

  • 🇨🇳 Despite lagging behind in technological development compared to US counterparts, Chinese AI start-ups are fiercely competing to develop homegrown alternatives.

  • 💰 Chinese generative AI start-ups disclosed fundraising totaling $2bn in the first four months of the year, defying a chill in investment seen in other consumer technology areas.

  • 🤖 Zhipu AI, Moonshot AI, and 01.ai have developed chatbots targeting office workers and students, with Moonshot's Kimi emerging as a strong rival to Baidu's Ernie Bot.