At its inaugural CoCreate Europe event in London, Alibaba.com, a leading B2B e-commerce platform, launched AI Mode, a feature that integrates agentic AI capabilities directly into the user journey. The rollout, planned for December, aims to transform supplier discovery, sourcing, and engagement across the $30 trillion global B2B market.
The announcement comes amid rising platform momentum: European order volume surged 57% year-over-year, while the number of active suppliers worldwide grew 50%. This growth reflects increasing SME confidence in cross-border trade and sets the stage for Alibaba.com’s next strategic phase of embedding AI into its core operations.
Agentic AI Powers Smarter Sourcing
AI Mode builds on Alibaba.com’s September 2025 deep search launch, using large language models to interpret natural language queries, analyze technical specifications, and automatically compare suppliers on price, logistics, certifications, and production capabilities. By integrating with services such as secure payment, Trade Assurance, and after-sales support, the tool enables a more automated and streamlined trade experience.
Kuo Zhang, President of Alibaba.com, emphasized, “AI is no longer a supplementary tool at Alibaba.com – it’s evolving into the operating system of our platform.” AI Mode is powered by Accio, the world’s first AI-powered B2B search engine, which can analyze unstructured inputs like product sketches, blueprints, and supplier records to uncover what Alibaba.com calls the “hidden product shelf,” surfacing specialized suppliers often overlooked in traditional searches.
European SMEs Drive AI Adoption
The European market is embracing AI-driven trade. Research by Alibaba.com indicates that 90% of European SMEs view product innovation as critical, while 62% feel confident using AI tools to drive design, sourcing, and production. AI Mode is designed to help businesses navigate compliance, identify sustainable partners, and accelerate product development without expanding internal teams.
By leveraging agentic AI, Alibaba.com aims to empower SMEs to innovate, improve supply chain resilience, and compete globally. The launch of AI Mode marks both a technological milestone and a strategic move in Alibaba.com’s evolution as a fully AI-powered e-commerce platform.
