China’s Alibaba, S. Korea’s Naver launch GPT rival AI models

Hong Kong, Aug 26

Chinese internet giant Alibaba has launched new artificial intelligence (AI) models that can understand images and perform more complex conversations.

The two new models, called Qwen-VL and Qwen-VL-Chat, will be open source for researchers, academics and companies worldwide, reports CNBC.

Alibaba said that Qwen-VL can respond to open-ended queries related to different images and generate picture captions.

Qwen-VL-Chat caters to more “complex interaction,” according to Alibaba, including writing stories and creating images based on photos that a user inputs.

Alibaba’s AI models are built upon the company’s large language model called Tongyi Qianwen.

Meanwhile, South Korean company Naver has also launched its own large language model HyperClovaX along with generative AI-powered search tool Cue and a chat app called Clova X.

HyperCLOVA X is a backbone model of Naver's AI technology based on supercomputing and data-analysing capabilities and operational experiences from its all-in-one online platform, ranging from Korea's largest search engine to cloud services, email, shopping and other internet products.

CLOVA X is a large language model-based AI chatbot and CUE: is a generative AI search service, both of which are powered by HyperCLOVA X.

Naver said CLOVA X, which will go on beta testing later this day, is a Korean version of ChatGPT led by Naver's deep understanding of Korean language and culture.

It can give the most appropriate responses to various user demands based on its conversational, versatile AI able to create stories, summarise texts, and encode languages.

CUE:, which will be launched next month, is a new interactive AI chatbot developed specifically for online search, reports Yonhap news agency.