TL;DR: How to Use Tongyi Qianwen (通义千问) — Learn how to use Tongyi Qianwen (通义千问), Alibaba's flagship AI assistant with Qwen3-Max. Features, tips, and step-by-step guide for 2026.
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What is Tongyi Qianwen?
Tongyi Qianwen (通义千问) is Alibaba's flagship AI assistant powered by the Qwen3-Max model with 2.4 trillion parameters. It supports text, image, audio, and video across 119 languages, making it one of the most capable multilingual AI assistants available.
Getting Started
Step 1: Access Tongyi Qianwen
- Visit tongyi.aliyun.com or download the mobile app
- Sign in with an Alibaba Cloud account or Alipay
- Free to use for basic features
Step 2: Choose Your Mode
- Standard mode: Fast responses for everyday questions
- Deep Thinking (QwQ): Extended reasoning for complex problems
- Web search: Real-time information retrieval
Core Features
Multimodal Capabilities
- Text conversation and generation
- Image understanding and creation
- Audio transcription and translation
- Video analysis and summarisation
Deep Thinking Mode
For complex reasoning tasks:
- Mathematical problem solving
- Code debugging and architecture
- Multi-step logical analysis
- Shows reasoning chain for transparency
Document Processing
- Upload PDF, PPT, Word files
- Summarise lengthy documents
- Extract specific information
- Translate documents across languages
Video Generation
- Text-to-video creation
- Style customisation
- Short-form content generation
Best Use Cases
| Task | Recommended Mode |
|---|---|
| Quick Q&A | Standard |
| Math or logic problems | Deep Thinking (QwQ) |
| Current events | Web Search |
| Document analysis | Standard + file upload |
| Creative writing | Standard |
Tips for Best Results
- Use Deep Thinking mode for anything requiring step-by-step reasoning
- Enable web search when you need current information
- Upload documents directly rather than pasting content for better analysis
- Try both Chinese and English — the model handles both exceptionally well
Pricing
Tongyi Qianwen is free for individual users. Enterprise API access is available through Alibaba Cloud with usage-based pricing.
FAQs
How does it compare to ChatGPT?
Tongyi Qianwen is stronger in Chinese language tasks and offers native video generation. ChatGPT has a larger plugin ecosystem and stronger English performance.
Is it available outside China?
Yes, the web version is accessible globally. Some features may vary by region.
What is the Qwen3-Max model?
It's Alibaba's latest foundation model with 2.4 trillion parameters, supporting 119 languages with state-of-the-art reasoning capabilities.
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Last updated: February 2026
