# GPT-5.6 SOL tops e-commerce management study, Qwen team reports

Digest AI · Research · published 2026-10-21T08:23:00Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/gpt-5-6-sol-tops-e-commerce-management-study-qwen-team-reports

## Summary

Alibaba’s Qwen research team and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology released results from E-Commerce Bench, a simulation testing AI models’ ability to run online businesses. The study, reported by ITmedia, gave 18 models 100,000 yuan each to operate virtual stores for 365 days. The simulation included 6,886 products, 576 suppliers, and 152 fraudulent firms designed to test fraud detection. Models had to manage pricing, procurement, shipping, and cash flow, with sales proceeds locked for 9 days after delivery.

OpenAI’s GPT-5.6 SOL ranked first, growing its initial funds to an average of 1.43 million yuan, a 14.3-fold increase. However, it ranked 16th in avoiding fraudulent suppliers. Anthropic’s Fable5 came second with final assets of about 800,000 yuan, achieving high profit efficiency with fewer tool calls. Among open-weight models, Alibaba’s Qwen3.8 Max Preview performed best, reaching about 420,000 yuan and demonstrating strong memory for past transaction prices.

The study found significant variation in AI capabilities, with 10 of 90 experiments ending in bankruptcy. Some models failed due to poor cash flow management, highlighting that while AI can run businesses over long periods, it still struggles with fraud detection and financial stability.

## Key points

- GPT-5.6 SOL ranked first in E-Commerce Bench, growing 100,000 yuan to 1.43 million yuan.
- Anthropic’s Fable5 ranked second with 800,000 yuan, using fewer tool calls than GPT-5.6 SOL.
- Alibaba’s Qwen3.8 Max Preview was the top open-weight model, reaching 420,000 yuan.

## Why it matters

The study provides concrete evidence of AI’s varying ability to manage complex, long-term business operations, highlighting critical gaps in fraud detection and cash flow management that limit autonomous deployment.

## Sources

1. [GPT-5.6 SOL tops AI online mall test after a year, study finds](https://digitaltoday.co.kr/en/view/117682/gpt-5-6-sol-tops-e-commerce-bench-after-year-running-online-mall) (digitaltoday.co.kr, 2026-10-21)

Part of the developing story: [AI Trading Showdown Sparks E‑Commerce Clash](https://digestai.news/thread/claude-fable-5-leads-fiveway-ai-trading-showdown-beating-mainline-ai-and-gpt-5) (2 stories)

## Cite

Digest AI, "GPT-5.6 SOL tops e-commerce management study, Qwen team reports", 21 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/gpt-5-6-sol-tops-e-commerce-management-study-qwen-team-reports

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