BMW Group, Alibaba step up partnership on AI large language model

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On March 26, Alibaba Group and BMW announced an expanded strategic partnership in China, with Alibaba's Banma signing an agreement to develop a customized AI engine for BMW.

Built on Alibaba's Tongyi AI model and powered by Banma's Yuanshen AI, this advanced system will enhance the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant. The new AI-driven experience is set to debut in 2026 in BMW's China-produced Neue Klasse models, promising a more natural, intelligent, and intuitive human-machine interaction.

Photo credit: Banma

Alibaba has been a long-term partner of BMW since 2015, collaborating across various digital domains over the past decade. Their partnership has evolved from e-commerce, cloud computing, and in-car navigation to intelligent cockpits, voice interaction, and AI-powered large models.

"This deepened collaboration between Alibaba and BMW, leveraging our Tongyi AI model to enhance BMW's intelligent AI experience, marks an innovative step in integrating AI with advanced manufacturing," said Wu Yongming, CEO of Alibaba Group. "The transformative power of AI lies in its ability to reshape the physical world, turning AI capabilities into productivity across industries. Through this partnership, we aim to drive AI applications in vertical sectors and unlock new user value."

"BMW is a key global luxury automobile client for Banma's Yuanshen AI," said Dai Wei, CEO of Banma. "Banma focuses on large-model interactions and AI-driven intelligent systems based on natural language processing. By integrating Alibaba's ecosystem and broader internet-based AI services, we are committed to redefining human-machine interaction and creating an ultra-sensory cockpit experience for BMW China users."

As part of this collaboration, Banma's Yuanshen AI will power the new BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant through an AI Agent framework, offering a more responsive and personalized digital companion. Key capabilities include human-like communication, multi-agent coordination, and open ecosystem integration, enabling precise intent recognition, complex command execution, nuanced semantic understanding, and logical reasoning.

To meet the high-frequency needs of Chinese consumers, BMW will introduce two AI Agents based on the Tongyi AI large model and the Banma Yuanshen AI—"Car Genius" and "Travel Companion"—in its initial rollout. These AI-driven assistants will provide seamless integration between mobility, third-space experiences, and ecosystem services. Looking ahead, BMW plans to explore multi-modal interaction experiences tailored to various driving scenarios.

On March 25, BMW Group announced the launch of its 360-degree full-chain AI strategy for its China business. This initiative focuses on digitalized production and operations, enhancing intelligent user experiences across all scenarios, and fostering open innovation in research and development. The strategy aims to accelerate BMW's AI integration in China, shaping long-term competitiveness in the AI era.