- New feature creates and edits spreadsheets directly from chat
- Move targets productivity gap in structured data tasks
Alibaba’s Qwen AI assistant has introduced a new “table agent” that allows users to generate and edit Excel files directly within a chat interface, as competition intensifies in AI-powered productivity tools.
The feature enables users to create spreadsheets from prompts, organize multi-turn conversations into structured tables, and extract data from documents or images into downloadable Excel files, typically within minutes and without manual formatting.
The feature is now available across Qwen’s mobile and desktop platforms, a Qwen spokesperson said.
The rollout addresses a common limitation in existing AI assistants, which often output tables in text form or require pre-set templates, leaving users to manually transfer results into spreadsheet software.
Alibaba said the new agent is designed to handle end-to-end table creation, including formatting, formulas and data structuring.
Technically, the system breaks down tasks into a multi-step execution chain, planning actions such as whether to write code or retrieve external data before completing operations in sequence.
The agent runs code in a sandboxed environment to generate spreadsheets with embedded formulas, conditional formatting and structured layouts.
The tool also supports multimodal inputs, allowing users to upload PDFs, Word documents, presentations or images—including handwritten notes or printed forms—for conversion into structured tables. It can trigger online searches when additional data is needed, according to the company.
The feature adds to a broader expansion of Qwen’s capabilities across enterprise and productivity settings, following earlier upgrades to its agent memory system and ongoing integration of its models into business workflows ranging from customer service to industry-specific AI applications.
