As AI matures, it is increasingly penetrating various industries and scenarios. The recent buzz around Luo Yonghao's digital human live streaming has once again drawn attention to this phenomenon. Ultimately, the significant impact of Luo Yonghao's digital human live streaming stems from the profound changes AI elements, particularly digital humans, have brought to traditional supply models, ushering the platform economy into a new era.

In fact, AI's influence on the platform economy extends beyond the live streaming e-commerce sector represented by Luo Yonghao. Even the giants of the large-scale platform economy have embarked on a new wave of embracing AI. Their practices demonstrate that AI can indeed inject new momentum into the development of the platform economy, propelling it into a new cycle. This is evident in Alibaba regaining the trust of the capital market and Tencent achieving a "rebirth" through comprehensive AI adoption.

With AI's maturity and sophistication, and its growing "chemical reactions" with the platform economy, its influence on the latter's development is bound to increase. It will fundamentally reshape the platform economy's development model, truly propelling the industry into a new stage. Hence, the question arises: why does AI have such a significant impact on the platform economy? And how will AI alter the platform economy's development trajectory?

AI is Profoundly Changing the Intrinsic Elements of the Platform Economy

One of the primary reasons Luo Yonghao's digital human live streaming garnered so much attention is that by integrating AI digital humans into the live streaming e-commerce process, it overcame the limitations of traditional live streamers, who are constrained by time, knowledge, experience, and personal emotions. This truly enabled all-weather and sustainable live streaming e-commerce. On one hand, the application of AI digital humans broadened the scope of traditional live streaming e-commerce; on the other hand, it deepened its reach.

Upon examining the underlying reasons for the changes brought about by AI digital humans, it becomes clear that AI's fundamental transformation of the traditional platform economy's intrinsic elements is a crucial aspect. Imagine if AI digital humans had not replaced traditional anchors; would all these changes have occurred? Clearly not. Therefore, if we seek to understand AI's transformation of the platform economy, altering the internal elements of the traditional platform economy from within and expanding its scope and depth are undoubtedly key aspects.

In reality, Luo Yonghao's digital human is merely a manifestation of AI transforming the "surface elements" of the platform economy. Beyond these "surface elements," AI's transformation of the platform economy's intrinsic elements is more evident in its deep and comprehensive reshaping of deeper "underlying elements." Tencent's comprehensive embrace of AI exemplifies this.

As deep learning began to emerge as AI's "singularity moment," Tencent embarked on a new journey to fully integrate AI. In this process, AI has transformed Tencent's more fundamental internal elements, whether in terms of its internal technology or its internal processes and linkages. We can see that AI is beginning to have a profound and comprehensive impact on these aspects. It is precisely because Tencent has altered its internal elements from a more intrinsic and foundational perspective that we witness such a remarkable transformation after its comprehensive AI adoption.

AI is Profoundly Changing the Business Model of the Platform Economy

Reviewing the past development of the platform economy, we can clearly see a distinct roadmap: players in the platform economy enhance industry operational efficiency through disintermediation. For many players, their mainstream business model is essentially platform- and intermediary-led. To sustain this business model, players must inevitably continue building a robust ecosystem.

As AI begins to deeply influence and transform the platform economy, especially as it spawns new business models, the traditional platform economy's matchmaking and intermediary-led business model is gradually being replaced. Summarizing and defining the business models emerging from the platform economy, we observe that players no longer derive profits solely through matchmaking and intermediation but instead begin generating profits through upstream industry empowerment, transformation, and the establishment of new supply and demand relationships.

Whether it's Luo Yonghao's digital human live streaming or Alibaba and Tencent's new products, Tongyi Qianwen and Doubao Large Model, derived from their comprehensive AI adoption, a deep analysis reveals that they all discover new business models by upgrading and transforming products and services on the supply side.

If we consider the platform economy's traditional business model as matchmaking and connecting supply and demand based on traditional industries, then the AI era's platform economy business model is based on matching and connecting supply and demand in new industries. Similarly, if we define the traditional platform economy's business model as matchmaking and intermediation, then the AI era's platform economy business model is a natural outcome of transactions based on more precise and personalized supply. At this juncture, players in the platform economy no longer realize profit points through matchmaking and intermediation but through establishing new supply and demand relationships.

AI is Profoundly Changing the Industrial Form of the Platform Economy

When summarizing and defining the platform economy, we naturally classify it under the virtual economy category. However, if the platform economy is merely defined as a type of virtual economy or seen solely as an independent third-party entity, it will inevitably fail to meet user needs. Precisely because of this, as the mobile internet era's trend wanes, more platform economy players are beginning to take deeper roots in the real economy and delve deeper into industries, constructing an industrial form that integrates virtual and real elements and combines digital and physical entities.

Recently, we witnessed the food delivery war between Meituan and JD.com. On the surface, it was a battle for traffic, but behind this conflict, we saw a new development trend where players like Meituan and JD.com are delving deeper into the real economy and taking roots in industries. In other words, we can no longer view platform economy players like Meituan and JD.com as traditional virtual economies but rather as entities that integrate virtual and real elements and combine digital and physical entities.

From an AI perspective, when considering its impact on the platform economy, it's not difficult to find that AI is profoundly changing the platform economy's industrial form, which is undoubtedly a crucial aspect. It's no exaggeration to say that AI is the most direct manifestation of the integration of virtual and real elements and the combination of digital and physical entities. On one hand, the virtual economy continuously provides AI with digital and data resources to train better large models and more embodied intelligent products; on the other hand, the real economy continuously provides application scenarios for these products and objects for their transformation. It can be said that the current virtual and real economies have transformed from a traditional "water and fire incompatible" state to a "you have me, I have you" state.

So, what exactly is "you have me, I have you"? Ultimately, this is the most direct manifestation of the integration of virtual and real elements and the combination of digital and physical entities. From this perspective, when observing the current industrial form, we see that it has transitioned from a state of incompatibility between virtual and real elements to a new stage of development where virtual and real elements are integrated, and digital and physical entities are combined. It can be said that in the AI era, the new industrial form of the integration of digital and physical entities and the combination of virtual and real elements will be a prevailing trend.

Conclusion

AI is profoundly influencing and transforming the platform economy, as evidenced by the buzz around Luo Yonghao's digital human and the profound changes that occurred after Alibaba and Tencent embraced AI. In summary, the platform economy is evolving due to AI. As AI matures and becomes more sophisticated, especially as it begins to take root in more industries and scenarios, a new transformation of the platform economy is underway. At this stage, new elements are being integrated, new business models are being nurtured, and new players are being pushed to the forefront, becoming new leaders.