Budget shopping platform Pinduoduo, operated by PDD Holdings, has recently posted job listings for various positions, including roles for algorithm engineers, as part of its increased focus on artificial intelligence (AI).
As per job advertisements on the online talent platform Boss Zhipin, Pinduoduo is offering competitive salaries of up to 60,000 yuan (approximately US$8,451) per month for roles such as large language model (LLM) developers and LLM referencing engineers at its Shanghai headquarters.
The responsibilities of a referencing engineer at Pinduoduo may involve the research, development, and enhancement of the company’s Bachelor reference engine. These professionals play a crucial role in advancing conceptual AI technologies, such as the ChatGPT conversational AI model developed by OpenAI, which are based on LLMs.
In addition to their core duties, referencing engineers will keep abreast of cutting-edge technologies in the field and promote the integration of LLMs and AI-generated content within Pinduoduo’s various business units.
When questioned about the formal launch and internal utilization of its LLM technology, Pinduoduo refrained from providing an immediate response.
Major Chinese tech giants like Baidu and Tencent Holdings have been actively developing customized LLMs for internal use and client services following the introduction of ChatGPT a year ago.
Pinduoduo witnessed a surge in sales during the Singles’ Day shopping extravaganza.
Rivals in the e-commerce sector, including Alibaba Group Holding and JD.com, have also rolled out their proprietary LLM solutions.
For instance, JD.com unveiled ChatRhino at a business conference in Beijing, showcasing how LLMs can significantly expedite the creation of cross-team marketing campaigns.
Alibaba Cloud introduced its Tongyi Qianwen LLM in April, integrating the technology into numerous internal applications, including the popular e-commerce platform Taobao.
Pinduoduo initiated the recruitment process for LLM-related roles in late September, reflecting its longstanding engagement with AI technologies.
Colin Huang Zheng, the founder and former CEO of Pinduoduo, emphasized the use of machine learning to optimize product selection on the platform during an interview in 2018. He holds a background in computer science and AI from both Chinese and US institutions.
At a market event in 2019, the current co-CEO Chen Lei highlighted the benefits of a distributed AI system in aligning product offerings with consumer preferences to drive growth in the financial sector.
