AI Photo: VCG

A flurry of Chinese tech firms lately revealed their engaging in the AI Generated Content (AIGC) exploration, a heated investment area now following the frenzy of ChatGPT, the AI-enabled chatbot worked out by Silicon Valley-based OpenAI.

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba confirmed to the Global Times on Wednesday that it is working on a rival to ChatGPT.

It is working on a ChatGPT-style technology that is being tested internally, a company spokesperson said.

"Frontier innovations such as large language models and generative AI have been our focus areas since the formation of DAMO in 2017. As a technology leader, we will continue to invest in turning cutting-edge innovations into value-added applications for our customers as well as their end-users through cloud services," the spokesperson said.

E-commerce platform JD.com has also been progressing on AIGC and ChatAI. The company's research direction is more focused on the business end instead of consumers.

Breakthroughs can be anticipated soon, including launching next-generation products on the track, said He Xiaodong, vice president of JD.com, according to a report by the Shanghai Securities News.

Web browser Opera is planning to integrate ChatGPT into its products, Opera's parent Kunlun Tech announced Wednesday, becoming the third browser to support build-in ChatGPT after Microsoft's Being and Edge search engines.

Searching giant Baidu is expected to launch a ChatGPT-style bot, named ERNIE Bot, which will open for public use in March.

"ERNIE is doing a sprint before finally going online," Baidu told the Global Times Tuesday, noting that its ERNIE Bot may start "beta testing earlier to keep up with Google and Microsoft."

Powered by large amount of data, large modules and computing techniques, ChatGPT is a blockbuster chatbot released by Open AI in November.

As more Chinese firms are getting on board following the ChatGPT fever, experts suggested that domestic firms could bet more on application scenarios in specific vertical fields to better use their advantages, instead of jostling on the technology track.

A Silicon Valley-based technology veteran, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Global Times on Thursday that there is domestic firms still have far to go to catch up in terms of the basic technologies compared with OpenAI.

"Such a blockbuster creative product usually comes from a start-up, meaning it has no restrictions from investors and or the mechanisms that apply in internet behemoths," the veteran said.

Liu Xingliang, director of the Beijing-based Data Centre of China Internet, told the Global Times that although Chinese firms lag behind in the technology's core competitiveness like modules and algorithms, "we could explore more at the application level, which has been the traditional advantage of Chinese internet firms compared with their US peers."

Liu said that vertical fields as medical care and e-commerce need professional chatbots, and have broad prospects.