Alibaba has launched a new version of its AI model, Qwen2.5 Max, claiming it performed better than DeepSeek's AI, OpenAI's GPT-4o and Meta's Llama.

Two days after the release of DeepSeek-R1, TikTok owner ByteDance released an update to its flagship AI model, which it claimed outperformed Microsoft-backed OpenAI's o1 in AIME, a benchmark test that measures how well AI models understand and respond to complex instructions.

China’s growing influence in AI is evident as companies like DeepSeek, Alibaba, and Moonshot AI are challenging the traditional dominance of US tech giants

In an unexpected move on the first day of Lunar New Year, Chinese tech giant Alibaba announced its latest AI model, Qwen 2.5-Max, claiming it outperforms several leading models including the recently released DeepSeek-V3.

The AI race gets frantic as Alibaba throws down a challenge at DeepSeek just days after ByteDance launches its own new AI model.

Alibaba's introduction of Qwen 2.5 Max comes as a strategic response to the rise of DeepSeek. The latter recently launched the powerful R1 model, which has created quite a stir in the tech world for being cost-effective and energy efficient than its rivals.

Analysts say China’s AI investment is just beginning to pay off, with more firms expected to launch their own models soon.

Alibaba claims that its new AI model, Qwen 2.5 Max, demonstrates superior performance over competitors like Meta's Llama and DeepSeek’s V3. This development highlights the fierce competition among Chinese tech firms,