AI services step forth to help China exports enter new global markets

Despite the headwinds of the US tariff war, Chinese service providers on digital marketing, business consulting and recruitment platforms are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to facilitate expansion overseas.

Their offshore focus includes talent acquisition and development in Southeast Asia, China's biggest overseas market.

AI-powered marketing

Zhang Guohua, chairman of the China Advertising Association, emphasized the transformative role of AI in a rapidly changing environment.

"Under the uncertainty of tight US tariffs, companies face severe challenges in expanding overseas," he said in Shanghai. "AI models have ushered in new opportunities to energize brand marketing and help more Chinese brands going overseas."

A recent surge in the clicks hoisted Alibaba's e-commerce Taobao site into the top 10 on the US App Store.

This spike coincided with viral TikTok videos from Chinese suppliers detailing luxury brand supply chains and offering direct purchase links, sparking a "factory-direct" buying trend among US consumers.

Chinese technology firm iFlytek, based in Anhui Province, is positioning itself to apply AI to e-commerce companies in overseas ventures. At a recent Shanghai conference, iFlytek demonstrated how AI can enhance overseas digital marketing efficiency across areas like industry insights, customer service, intelligent operations, content generation and asset management.

Its AI-powered AIMarX tool enables businesses to easily implement "influencer planting," which refers to finding suitable online celebrities, placing advertisements and improving branding. This shift from "experience-driven" to "data-driven" intelligence is proving valuable for Chinese brands seeking new overseas markets.

Since its inception in 2014, iFlytek's AI marketing solutions have served over 1,800 business clients, reaching 2 billion users across more than 100 countries and regions.

AI compliance advisor

Hong Kong-based Vistra, a global business consulting firm, has introduced into China its Geni service, the world's first global AI compliance advisor. It's integrated into Vistra's new "global expansion platform," which offers specialized compliance and other services that can directly address issues like tariffs.

One notable strategy facilitated by Vistra is tariff mitigation through product innovation. The firm assists technology companies, including a major Chinese entity, in reconfiguring products so they qualify for tariff exemptions or lower-duty categories. Adjustments to product specifications related to semiconductor components and Internet of Things devices promise no hindrance to research and development pipelines.

By the second quarter, the company plans to offer enhanced tariff advisory services tailored to specific industries and company structures.

Talent needed in Southeast Asia

LinkedIn, the professional networking platform, said it is also anticipating growth and greater tapping into the Southeast Asian talent pool, driven by Chinese company recruiters.

Nancy Wang, country manager of LinkedIn China, noted diversification "beyond just AI and the Internet," with more Chinese companies entering sectors like finance, the milk tea business, new energy, electronics equipment and electric vehicles in the region.

Labor cost advantages, reduced tariff barriers and developing local industry chains in Southeast Asia are creating a key growth engine for many domestic manufacturers seeking overseas expansion.

Over the past year, demand for smart manufacturing talent has shown substantial growth in Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia. Hiring demand is particularly strong in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, with Chinese companies a driving force.

According to LinkedIn's 2025 report on overseas expansion in Southeast Asia, one of the fastest growing jobs is AI engineering. Singapore ranked first with an annual growth rate of 2.45 times, as companies in financial services, e-commerce and smart manufacturing turn to AI technologies.

Notably, TikTok's global headquarters are now located in Los Angeles and Singapore.