Key facts
- Alibaba, Tencent, and Baidu are deploying AI agents to assist with university applications.
- The initiative targets the 12.9 million students who took the Gaokao exam.
- This competition aims to capture users and integrate large language models into daily services.
Chinese technology firms, including Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., Tencent Holdings Ltd., and Baidu Inc., are leveraging artificial intelligence agents to assist the millions of high school graduates applying for university admissions. This strategic move transforms the national college entrance examination, known as the Gaokao, into a significant arena for consumer AI competition.
The initiative seeks to capture the large user base of the 12.9 million students who participated in this year's Gaokao. It reflects the intense rivalry among Chinese internet companies to gain users and integrate their large language models into common services, following aggressive marketing campaigns earlier in the year.