Quark: China's New AI Champion

In a groundbreaking achievement, Alibaba Group's AI assistant app, Quark, has overtaken ByteDance's Doubao to become the most popular AI application in China as of March 2025. With a staggering 150 million monthly active users worldwide, Quark has established a significant lead over its competitors.

Doubao trails behind with approximately 100 million monthly active users, while DeepSeek ranks third with about 77 million. This user data is derived from app store rankings across Apple, Google, and various Chinese Android platforms, notably excluding web traffic.

From Storage to Super Assistant

Originally launched as a cloud storage and search service, Quark has undergone a complete transformation into a versatile AI assistant for both mobile and desktop platforms. Despite Alibaba claiming a total of 200 million users across its services, detailed platform statistics remain under wraps.

According to reports from the US venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, Quark has climbed to sixth position worldwide among AI apps, trailing behind notable entities like Baidu's AI Search and OpenAI's ChatGPT.

Strategic National Investment Pays Off

Quark’s meteoric rise is a testament to China's extensive investment strategy in AI, initiated in 2017. The government pledged to channel hundreds of billions of yuan into AI technology, setting 2025 as a pivotal year for significant advancements and aiming for global dominance by 2030.

This robust strategy has revitalized numerous Chinese AI applications, resulting in formidable competition on the global stage. Quark now stands as a shining example of how long-term planning can yield fruitful outcomes.

Leveraging Established Platforms

Alibaba’s success with Quark underscores the effectiveness of enhancing existing platforms over developing new AI solutions from scratch. By evolving Quark from a cloud service to an 'AI super assistant,' Alibaba tapped into its pre-existing user base, sidestepping the common initial struggles faced by new applications.

This strategic pivot has not only allowed Quark to eclipse ByteDance’s Doubao, but also illustrates a broader trend among tech giants who opt to improve current products rather than create standalone solutions. Microsoft’s AI-integrated Edge browser is another example, showcasing the power of building on established platforms.

Conclusion: A Blueprint for Future Success

Alibaba's journey with Quark highlights how companies with established digital infrastructures can effectively dominate the market by integrating advanced technology into their existing offerings. This approach not only accelerates user adoption but also sets a powerful precedent for future innovation in the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence.