Since 1979, when Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston created the first spreadsheet VisiCalc on Apple's groundbreaking Apple II computer that could automatically calculate and update, tables have become the foundation for computers to understand the human world through data. However, more often than not, no one discusses it in this way. A few horizontal and vertical grids, tables are everywhere, it looks too ordinary.
However, many of the foundations of computer prosperity are built on individual tables, whether they are called Excel spreadsheets, SQL databases, or any other name. Even the starting point of personal computers, IBM and Wang computers, the core of their technological innovation can also be considered as the innovation of "tables", which is the starting point and common divisor of all structured information. Computers and humans interact through data, generating various incredible technologies and products over decades of evolution, such as AI, and tables have always been there.
Just like the dialogue box was always there.
The dialog box, as a natural entry point for input, has also been monotonously understood - sometimes you have to take a chance to enter precise keywords. But with ChatGPT, everything became different. You can input everything you want as you please, and leave the rest to the big model.
ChatGPT has changed the logic of C-end products. Instead of creating a more fancy interactive interface, it has activated the simplest entrance that has always been there. In the B-end scenario, DingTalk believes that the table plays the role of this "dialogue box".
Just as the interactive changes brought about by ChatGPT are profound and concise enough, DingTalk's AI tables are designed to provide a new solution for this increasingly complex enterprise market in the era of big models: powerful yet concise - making every business table a natural entry point for AI to integrate into enterprise workflows.
The first big move after returning without any moves
The core of DingTalk AI tables is to enable structured data of enterprises to be directly understood and used by AI, and actively participate in the workflow.
From an external perspective, this is also a product that DingTalk founder Wu Zhao (Chen Hang) has focused on investing in since his return. In April of this year, DingTalk announced significant personnel changes, and the founder returned to DingTalk as CEO without recruitment. His core goal is obviously to lead DingTalk to seize new opportunities brought by AI, and AI spreadsheet is the first product direction that we can see DingTalk's strategic bet on after its return.