Alibaba has previewed Qwen3.8-Max-Preview, a 2.4 trillion parameter AI model, claiming it is second only to Anthropic's Fable 5. The model is now available on Alibaba's Token Plan, Qoder, and QoderWork platforms.
TL;DR
- Alibaba's Qwen3.8-Max-Preview is a 2.4 trillion parameter AI model, second only to Anthropic's Fable 5.
- The model is available on Alibaba's Token Plan, Qoder, and QoderWork platforms.
- The unveiling underscores China's push to catch up with US AI heavyweights.
What happened
Alibaba Group Holding has previewed its next-generation AI model, Qwen3.8-Max-Preview, with 2.4 trillion parameters. The company claims it is second only to Anthropic's Claude Fable 5 in terms of capability.
The preview version of Qwen3.8-Max-Preview is available on Alibaba's Token Plan subscription service, as well as its Qoder and QoderWork agentic platforms, as announced in an official X post on Sunday.
The announcement was made during the World AI Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, highlighting China's progress in the AI sector.
Why it matters
For AI/ML developers, the release of Qwen3.8-Max-Preview provides a new powerful model to consider, particularly for those operating in or targeting the Chinese market.
Startup founders and tech investors should note the rapid advancements in AI capabilities, especially from Chinese tech giants like Alibaba, which are increasingly competing with US-based companies.
The unveiling of Qwen3.8-Max-Preview underscores the global AI race, with Chinese developers entering the 'multi-trillion parameter' age, as seen with Moonshot AI's Kimi K3, which has 2.8 trillion parameters.
Key facts
- Qwen3.8-Max-Preview has 2.4 trillion parameters, making it one of the most powerful models available today.
- Alibaba claims Qwen3.8-Max-Preview is second only to Anthropic's Claude Fable 5 in terms of capability.
- The model is available on Alibaba's Token Plan, Qoder, and QoderWork platforms.
- The announcement was made during the World AI Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai.
- Beijing-based Moonshot AI unveiled Kimi K3 with 2.8 trillion parameters, currently the world's largest open-source AI model.
- Parameters are a machine-learning measure of AI system complexity, with higher figures generally indicating stronger models.
Context
The unveiling of Qwen3.8-Max-Preview comes as Chinese AI developers are making significant strides in catching up with US heavyweights in the AI sector.
The World AI Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai is a key event for AI advancements and collaborations, highlighting the latest developments in the field.
The release of Qwen3.8-Max-Preview follows the trend of increasing model complexity, with more AI models entering the multi-trillion parameter range.
