**Ma Yun, Founder of Alibaba, Visits AI Subsidiaries and Highlights Future Focus on AI**
On the 11th, Ma Yun, the founder of Alibaba, visited the company’s headquarters in Hangzhou, marking his increased public activities as he turns attention towards artificial intelligence (AI). Notably, Ma’s visit included notable AI subsidiaries such as Xianyu and Quark, indicating a strategic shift as Alibaba faces challenges in its core e-commerce sector.
According to reports, Ma, who had been out of the public eye for several years, has been increasingly making public appearances since late last year. In a recent visit to Alibaba’s headquarters, he greeted employees warmly, with remarks about his youthful appearance despite being 60. His presence reflects a broader emphasis on AI as Alibaba seeks new growth avenues.
Ma was accompanied by Lishan, the president of Xianyu, and explored various AI initiatives, reinforcing Alibaba’s commitment to AI’s potential. These subsidiaries, alongside platforms like 1688 and DingTalk, are considered pivotal in Alibaba’s strategy. CEO Daniel Zhang mentioned in November 2023 that these ventures align with the group’s AI-centric strategy and would receive continued investment over the next few years.
Alibaba has been actively recruiting AI talents, exemplified by the recent hiring of Xu Zhuhong, a renowned AI scientist, to bolster its AI to Consumer (AI2C) business strategy. Xu’s role will involve foundational research and applied solutions to advance Alibaba’s AI offerings.
The focus on AI comes amidst Alibaba’s challenges in its traditional e-commerce segment, prompting the company to pivot and innovate. The release of Alibaba’s AI model Qwen 2.5-Max, claimed to outperform models like GPT-4o, signals its commitment to staying at the forefront of AI technology.
The South China Morning Post recently revealed that Apple is collaborating with Alibaba to integrate AI functionalities into its devices in China, underscoring Alibaba’s growing influence in the AI domain.
Meanwhile, Alibaba’s stock has seen a significant rise, exceeding 110 Hong Kong dollars, marking a high not seen since last October, reflecting investor optimism regarding its strategic direction.