Qwen’s new AI restaurant reservation feature has sparked a viral debate after releasing samples of "awkward" customer requests—such as booking a joint dinner for an ex and a current partner, or asking if Yuxiang shredded pork actually contains fish. The AI’s natural tone and colloquialisms have left merchants unable to distinguish it from a human caller.

Due to the AI's "human-like" delivery and its consistent calling window of 10:00–22:00, some merchants suspected the service was actually managed by human staff on shifts.

On January 26, Alibaba's Qwen officially confirmed that these calls are entirely AI-driven. The "human touch" is the result of a real-time emotion and intent recognition engine capable of identifying over 50 complex emotions within 100 milliseconds and matching responses with optimal empathetic scripts and natural vocal pauses.

Addressing the suspicion over the AI's 10:00–22:00 schedule, Qwen clarified this was a deliberate design choice. The window was set to align with standard restaurant operating hours to ensure the AI interacts with merchants during peak business times, optimizing service efficiency.