Chinese e-commerce giant Pinduoduo announced the formation of a large language model (LLM) team for e-commerce recommendations, further increasing its investment in AI technology within the e-commerce sector. According to recent posts on X, this team is led by a former core member of Baidu's Phoenix Nest (Baidu's advertising system), whose annual salary is reportedly several times higher than their previous compensation at Baidu, showcasing Pinduoduo's significant investment in talent acquisition.
While Pinduoduo has not officially disclosed the leader's identity, X user @TechBitDaily revealed in a February 23rd post that the team has recruited numerous AI experts from top tech companies like Baidu and Alibaba, focusing on building a cutting-edge recommendation system. The team is functionally divided into price comparison, recommendation, advertising, search, and customer service, aiming to optimize user experience and improve platform transaction efficiency. Notably, Pinduoduo employs its characteristically efficient management style, utilizing a "horse racing" mechanism internally. This involves competitive task allocation and performance evaluation to incentivize rapid technological iteration and seizing market opportunities.
X user @AIObserverCN commented: "Pinduoduo's horse racing mechanism is similar to ByteDance's internal competition culture. This model quickly filters out the optimal solution, especially suitable for AI large models that require rapid trial and error." Another source on X stated that the team's establishment is closely related to Pinduoduo's recent strategic layout in intelligent recommendation and personalized services, aiming to challenge Alibaba and JD.com's leading position in e-commerce AI.
Pinduoduo has rapidly risen in recent years through its low-price strategy and social e-commerce model, with its cross-border e-commerce platform Temu achieving remarkable success in the global market. The formation of this LLM team is seen as a crucial step for Pinduoduo's transition from price competition to technology-driven growth. Industry insiders analyze that with the deepening application of AI technology, Pinduoduo is expected to further consolidate its position in the domestic e-commerce market and provide technological support for future international expansion. Currently, the team is in the recruitment and R&D phase, with concrete results expected to emerge in the coming months. Interested professionals can follow Pinduoduo's official channels for updates.
