Lazada’s youngest executive sees AI, logistics as biggest strengths against rivals like Temu

“With Lazada being part of the Alibaba Group, we can really leverage the best-in-class technology and ecosystem of the group,” Kiatpinyochai, who took over Lazada Thailand this year, said in an interview on the sidelines of the Hong Kong-Asean Summit, where she spoke on Southeast Asia’s e-commerce landscape. “The big advantage is how we leverage technology, especially AI, in the app throughout the consumer purchasing journey. I think AI has really been a game-changer for us.”

Kiatpinyochai, Lazada’s youngest executive at 32 years old, pointed to how Lazada is using AI in different areas to better engage consumers, especially more tech-savvy consumers in Thailand. One of the latest developments includes LazzieChat, a chatbot that uses OpenAI’s GPT model rather than Alibaba’s own Tongyi Qianwen models. Generative AI has been a key part of Lazada’s localisation efforts, with LazzieChat now available in the languages of Bahasa in Indonesia, Thai and Vietnamese.

Competition has recently been heating up in the global e-commerce space, as companies like Temu and Shein use relationships with Chinese manufacturers to engage in aggressive price competition.