DingTalk Launches AI Voice Recorder to Rival Plaud

Alibaba’s workplace collaboration platform DingTalk has launched the DingTalk A1 AI-powered voice recorder in China, aiming to capture the growing market for smart note-taking devices.

Unveiled at DingTalk’s 10th anniversary event in late August, the recorder is credit card-sized and offers advanced features including AI-driven transcription, meeting summaries, and real-time translation across more than 100 languages and 30 Chinese dialects. The transcription system was trained on over 100 million hours of audio, providing accuracy and versatility for professional use. Two models are available, priced at 499 yuan (US$69.9) and 799 yuan (US$111.8), significantly undercutting international competitors like the US-based Plaud Note Pro, which retails for US$179.

Key Highlights

• DingTalk A1 AI recorder offers transcription, summaries, and translation
• Priced at $69–$112, it undercuts the $179 Plaud Note Pro
• China’s AI hardware market projected to hit $153B by 2025

The aggressive pricing highlights China’s manufacturing cost advantage, particularly from hubs like Shenzhen, which produces nearly 90 percent of the world’s electronics and has evolved into a center for AI-enhanced production. This cost edge enables Chinese firms to deliver competitive AI functionality at lower price points, accelerating adoption in both domestic and price-sensitive global markets.

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Competition is intensifying as other Chinese firms like Mobvoi enter the space with products such as TicNote. Industry consultancy Runto projects China’s AI hardware market to reach 1.1 trillion yuan (US$153 billion) by 2025, and more than double to 2.5 trillion yuan by 2030. With such growth, multiple players are expected to coexist, driving rapid product cycles, feature competition, and innovation in the AI hardware ecosystem.