Didi Establishes Large Model Team for Personal Mobility and Corporate Travel Scenarios
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Didi has recently formed an internal large model team. The team is led technically by Chai Hua, head of Didi's Maps and Public Transport Division and rotating chairman of the Algorithm Committee.
However, even with Chai Hua at the helm, the application scenario for Didi's large model is not map navigation, but rather B2B business travel. Several insiders revealed that Didi's large model plans to focus on both individual travel and corporate business travel scenarios, aiming to improve efficiency in user travel and itinerary planning.
As of the time of writing, Didi has not responded to the above news.
An AI Agent (intelligent agent), in simple terms, is an artificial intelligence entity capable of autonomous decision-making and calling third-party APIs.
In the context of travel and business trip scenarios, once the Agent is deployed, employees only need to input their travel-related requirements in natural language. The Agent not only intelligently plans the itinerary but also selects the best flight options and accommodation, while seamlessly connecting to third-party ticket booking platforms and corporate reimbursement systems.
Since November 2020, Didi has been recruiting talents in the business travel sector and launched a 'Business Travel Special Offers' section in the personal center of the Didi Chuxing App, providing users with subsidies for travel city transportation and rides to train stations/airports.
In February 2021, the business travel booking feature was launched on Didi Enterprise Edition. Internal testing of the business travel booking function was completed among employees, and targeted invitation testing was opened for corporate clients.
Facing pressures such as declining business travel demand during the pandemic, Didi Enterprise Version officially launched air ticket and hotel booking services in January 2023. Guo Qichao, head of Didi Enterprise Version's business travel service center, previously stated in a media interview that compared to mainstream TMCs (Travel Management Companies) known for their service excellence, Didi's strength in business travel lies in its technology, enabling it to provide more intelligent travel services.
After joining DiDi in 2016, Chai Hua became the key figure who truly helped the company address its mapping deficiencies. Previously, DiDi lacked its own map navigation interface and had to rely on embedding third-party map platforms. Under Chai Hua's leadership, the team enhanced DiDi Map's core capabilities including base data, route planning, and navigation, while also establishing DiDi's hybrid intelligent public transit query solution. In 2020, DiDi Map's navigation function and public transit menu were officially integrated into the DiDi app.
Before joining Didi, Chai Hua worked at Alibaba and Baidu for seven years, accumulating extensive experience in internet mapping, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and other technical fields.
In the first year of post-pandemic business travel demand rebound, Didi has taken the lead in testing AI models in corporate travel scenarios, indicating its strategy to tightly integrate technological advantages and accelerate the layout of intelligent mobility services.