Competition explores more possibilities for AI to power China-ASEAN cross-border e-commerce

The 2025 China-ASEAN "AI+Cross-border E-Commerce" Innovative Application Competition, part of the "AI for All: China-ASEAN" competition which recently kicked off in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, leverages real-world application scenarios to tackle industry pain points, injecting new vitality into China-ASEAN digital trade.

Cross-border e-commerce has long faced challenges such as language barriers, cultural differences, and inefficient logistics, and AI is proving to be the key to overcoming them.

The 2025 China-ASEAN "AI+Cross-Border E-Commerce" Innovative Application Competition is launched. (Photo courtesy of the organizer)

For example, the competition's "AI-powered cross-border visual design" track uses AI tools to optimize promotional images of products from ASEAN countries, helping businesses cater to different market aesthetics while reducing design costs.

Another track, "Multilingual live-streaming video synthesis," allows small and medium-sized enterprises to reach ASEAN consumers directly without the need for translation teams. These practical applications demonstrate how AI is boosting efficiency and reducing costs in cross-border e-commerce.

In today's highly competitive cross-border e-commerce sector, the deep integration of AI has become a critical tool for success. AI-powered market forecasting, for instance, can predict shifting consumer preferences, such as surging demand for small home appliances in Vietnam or the growing appetite for natural skincare products in Malaysia, helping companies align production with demand.

AI-powered smart logistics scheduling can incorporate real-time customs data and port congestion to optimize shipping routes, significantly improving delivery efficiency in ASEAN markets.

The competition is not only about technological innovation, it is also about cultivating talent. The academic track encourages cross-border and cross-disciplinary teams, giving young people from China and ASEAN countries an opportunity to better understand each other's markets through cooperation.

In the competition's social track, teams composed of participants from China and ASEAN countries promote the sharing of technology and the integration of resources. This approach is helping the cross-border e-commerce sector cultivate versatile professionals who understand both AI technology and international trade.

At the same time, challenges remain in the application of AI in cross-border e-commerce. For instance, achieving accurate multilingual translation and compliance review of marketing content across different cultural contexts require a deep integration of technology and local expertise. To this end, the competition features practical exercises in a simulation environment, enabling participants to trial solutions and anticipate risks in lifelike scenarios.

This competition is expected to spark more AI solutions that can be replicated and scaled, ensuring that the dividends of technology benefit a wider range of cross-border e-commerce businesses.