Xiaomei functions as a “life assistant” integrating multiple service verticals including dining, travel, health and beauty, via natural language interaction. It is now in public testing. Meituan also claims the agent can deeply personalise local services using internal interface calls.
This launch follows broader sector-wide moves in China where tech giants are embedding AI into mapping, recommendation and delivery functions. Alibaba’s Amap app has added an AI-powered ranking tool, “Street Stars”, covering over 300 cities and 1.6 million offline service providers. That feature combines navigation patterns with user review data to recommend restaurants, hotels and tourist attractions. Simultaneously, the platform is offering substantial incentives to promote usage.
Meituan’s financial performance has faced pressure. Its profit margins have been squeezed due to intensifying competition and substantial expenditure on user acquisition, subsidies, and technological enhancement. Analysts note that the cost of these strategies may erode earnings in the short-term even as companies chase long-term dominance.
Market reaction to the Xiaomei launch was cautious. Meituan’s shares in Hong Kong rose by about 0.6 per cent, less than the Hang Seng Index’s gain. Alibaba, by contrast, saw more substantial gains amid optimism around its AI works and mapping upgrades.
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