63% of Global SMEs Now Rush to AI Tools to Supercharge Cross-Border Trade: Alibaba.com Research

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CoCreate 2025 Attracts Record Number of SMEs as Alibaba.com Unveils AI Overhaul

LAS VEGAS, Sept. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- 63% of SMEs worldwide now seek AI tools to do cross-border trade, per Alibaba.com Research. Responding to this shift, the B2B platform today launched its most ambitious AI overhaul to date—empowering small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to navigate global markets faster, smarter, and at scale.

The unveiling headlined CoCreate 2025, Alibaba.com's flagship SME summit, which broke records with 3,500+ attendees and 25,000+ SME business pitches from 150 countries, underscoring surging global demand for agile, tech-driven trade solutions.

New Globalization Runs Light: AI Empowers "Micro-Multinationals"

Globalization has gone lean: AI empowers small teams to enter global markets faster than ever. This paradigm shift has birthed "micro-multinationals"—small businesses that scale internationally with agility. A two-person design studio, for instance, can now sell products in 20 countries by leveraging AI-generated market insights, an effort once requiring extensive resources and months of effort.

AI has reduced barriers to global trade, giving small businesses access to the same robust, diversified supply chains that once belonged exclusively to large corporations. Tasks like supplier negotiations, compliance checks, and logistics planning—formerly managed by entire departments—are now streamlined into automated workflows.

"AI isn't a luxury—it's survival, especially in B2B, where high-stakes decisions demand innovation," said Kuo Zhang, President of Alibaba.com. "User behavior is evolving: keyword searches no longer suffice. B2B demands long-text, multimodal AI tools to navigate global trade. That's why we're overhauling our 26-year-old business, empowering SMEs to thrive in a world where speed, precision, and adaptability matter most."

Deep Search, AI-Powered Precision

Alibaba.com introduces Deep Search, an AI-powered B2B procurement tool that transforms complex sourcing with multimodal capabilities — understanding long natural language queries and image-based searches simultaneously. Unlike traditional engines, Deep Search dissects queries into core components, cross-references 280 million B2B-specific product listings, and ranks results by hyper-relevance to deliver precise supplier matches alongside products.

Powered by 26 years of industry insights and real-time transactions, its B2B-optimized AI evolves rapidly to address niche business needs. Deep Search cuts sourcing time dramatically, connecting buyers with vetted suppliers in seconds.

The World's First AI Agent for Global Trade Surges 50% in One Month

Incubated by Alibaba.com and launched under the Alibaba International umbrella, the AI search engine Accio has emerged as the world's first AI agent dedicated to global trade since its release in May 2024. Within a month of its Agent Mode launch, Accio's user base skyrocketed by 1.5 million, marking a 50% spike in users from pre-launch metrics.

The Accio Agent now automates 70% of manual workflows—slashing tasks like product ideation, prototyping, compliance, and supplier sourcing from weeks to minutes. By transforming fragmented processes into a unified, AI-driven cycle, it fuels unprecedented efficiency for cross-border businesses.

CoCreate 2025: Where Pragmatic AI Thrives

CoCreate 2025 doubled in size compared to last year, attracting over 3,500 attendees and showcasing how AI solves real-world trade challenges. The summit's marquee pitch competition received over 25,000 applications, highlighting SMEs' hunger for cutting-edge solutions.

Coinciding with CoCreate 2025, Alibaba.com's Super September—its largest annual sales event—launched with an AI twist. The event features over 200,000 AI-curated sourcing lists highlighting global bestsellers, with discounts of up to 20%.

About CoCreate
CoCreate is the world's leading sourcing event, connecting global ecommerce sellers, retailers, and wholesalers with top manufacturers and industry experts. By fostering face-to-face collaboration, the summit empowers businesses to discover innovative products, optimize supply chains, and build partnerships that drive long-term growth.

About Alibaba.com
Launched in 1999, Alibaba.com is a leading platform for global business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce that serves buyers and suppliers from over 200 countries and regions around the world. It is engaged in services covering various aspects of commerce, including providing businesses with tools that help them reach a global audience for their products and helping buyers discover products, find suppliers and place orders online fast and efficiently. Alibaba.com is part of Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group.

Media Contact:
Mike Hong
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