Alibaba's Qwen App Tests Paid Features as It Tries to Follow Doubao's Office Playbook

Alibaba released a significant update to its Qwen App on August 7, integrating office assistant features and access to the Qwen3.8-MAX model. For the first time, the update includes a clear pricing signal, with core features remaining free while the office assistant will operate on a quota that requires payment once exhausted. Chinese AI vendors believe that office workflows are the segment where users will actually pay. However, Qwen App finds itself in a challenging position compared to its peers, as its daily active users dropped significantly after a major marketing campaign ended.