Chinese tech giant Alibaba has introduced a new artificial intelligence (AI) model, QwQ-32B, which it claims can rival DeepSeek in solving complex problems while using significantly less data. The company describes its latest compact reasoning model as “comparable” to larger, state-of-the-art AI models like OpenAI’s o1-mini.
“Today, we release QwQ-32B, our new reasoning model with only 32 billion parameters, delivering performance on par with much larger models,” Alibaba Group announced in an X post.
The launch follows the debut of DeepSeek’s R1 in January 2025, a low-cost AI model designed to compete with OpenAI’s ChatGPT. However, Alibaba’s QwQ-32B, built on its latest Qwen 2.5 AI framework, offers advanced capabilities in text, image, and audio processing—allowing it to analyze complex data, identify patterns, and generate solutions akin to human reasoning.
According to Alibaba, QwQ-32B has outperformed DeepSeek’s R1, a model with 671 billion parameters, in key areas such as mathematics, coding, and general problem-solving. A post on the company’s Qwen AI blog highlighted its model’s efficiency despite having a significantly smaller parameter count.
Alibaba’s AI research team emphasized the importance of Reinforcement Learning (RL) in enhancing large language models. “Our research explores the scalability of RL and its role in advancing intelligence within AI models,” they noted.
Additionally, the team has integrated agent-based capabilities into QwQ-32B, enabling it to think critically, utilize tools effectively, and adapt its reasoning based on environmental feedback.
“These advancements not only highlight the transformative power of RL but also pave the way for further innovations in the pursuit of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI),” the researchers added.
Looking ahead, Alibaba aims to accelerate its AGI ambitions by combining stronger foundation models with reinforcement learning and scaled computational resources. The company is also exploring long-horizon reasoning, which could allow AI to demonstrate greater intelligence over extended inference times.
With QwQ-32B, Alibaba is making a bold statement in the AI race, challenging industry leaders while prioritizing efficiency and scalability.
Ayush Kumar Jaiswal is a writer and contributor for MakingIndiaAIFirst.com, a platform dedicated to covering the latest developments, trends, and innovations in artificial intelligence (AI) with a specific focus on India’s role in the global AI landscape. His work primarily revolves around delivering insightful and up-to-date news, analysis, and commentary on AI advancements, policies, and their implications for India’s technological future.
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