• DingTalk overhaul turns workplace app into AI-native system where agents execute tasks instead of humans.
• Enterprise-focused platform emphasizes security and control as Alibaba rolls out industry-specific AI agents and expands globally.

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. launched a new enterprise AI platform dubbed “Wukong” today, marking its latest push to embed artificial intelligence into workplace operations and capture demand from small and medium-sized businesses.

Unveiled at its headquarters in Hangzhou, Wukong is designed as an AI-native work platform that can automate workflows around the clock, effectively deploying what Alibaba describes as 24/7 “AI agent teams” to handle business tasks.

The product represents a sweeping overhaul of DingTalk, Alibaba’s workplace collaboration app, and is positioned as the unified interface for the company’s AI capabilities in enterprise settings.

“We broke DingTalk apart and rebuilt it with AI to create Wukong,” DingTalk Chief Executive Officer Chen Hang said at the launch. “In the past, people used DingTalk to work. In the future, AI will use DingTalk to work.”

The release comes amid a surge in popularity of consumer-facing AI agents — recently exemplified by the viral “OpenClaw” trend in China — which has drawn widespread interest but also raised concerns around data security and reliability.

Data security

With the introduction of Wukong, Alibaba is betting that enterprises will prioritize control. Wukong embeds corporate permission systems directly into its architecture, allowing organizations to define what AI agents can access and execute.

“Unlike consumer agents, Wukong is built natively within enterprise structures and can operate securely in real business environments,” Chen said at the launch.

To support the shift, Alibaba rebuilt DingTalk’s underlying architecture, enabling a command-line interface that allows AI agents to directly invoke thousands of platform functions.

Instead of mimicking human actions, Wukong agents execute tasks programmatically, turning communication into action and positioning AI as “digital employees.”

Alongside the launch, Alibaba introduced a set of industry-specific solutions spanning 10 sectors. They include e-commerce, cross-border trade, content creation, software development, retail, design, manufacturing, legal services, finance and recruiting. Users can deploy pre-configured AI agents trained on industry workflows with minimal setup.

In one example, Alibaba said tasks that previously took a week in cross-border e-commerce operations can now be completed within hours, with AI handling order processing, supplier risk screening and competitive analysis — even as the employees sleep.

The debut of Wukong also marks the first public appearance of Alibaba’s dedicated Wukong business unit, signaling closer integration across its broader ecosystem.

Services including Taobao, 1688 and Alipay are expected to connect with the platform, alongside support for an open “skills” framework aimed at building a marketplace for enterprise AI capabilities.

Alibaba said Wukong will expand globally and plans to integrate with third-party platforms such as WeChat and Slack, allowing users to access AI agents across devices.

The launch follows a broader restructuring of Alibaba’s AI operations. A day earlier, the company established the Alibaba Token Hub unit, led directly by Chief Executive Officer Eddie Wu Yongming, as it pivots toward building infrastructure for the next phase of AI development centered on autonomous agents.