https://www.scmp.com/rss/309640/feed Joe Tsai is chairman of Alibaba Group. Tsai joined the Alibaba Group in 1999 as a member of the founding team. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Ji Siqi Ji Siqi China’s artificial intelligence breakthroughs in recent years stemmed from the country’s strategic strengthening of its power grid, commitment to open-source models and complete manufacturing supply chain, according to Joe Tsai, chairman of Alibaba Group Holding. “Currently, geopolitical complexities are deeply affecting supply chain security and the sharing of technological achievements,” Tsai said in a speech on Sunday at the China Development Forum 2026 in Beijing. “In this era and... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347485/alibaba-chairman-joe-tsai-credits-chinas-ai-edge-power-grid-open-source-models?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347485/alibaba-chairman-joe-tsai-credits-chinas-ai-edge-power-grid-open-source-models?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 11:46:56 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Chinese billionaire Jack Ma and the core leadership of Alibaba Group Holding and Ant Group spent over an hour with teachers in Hangzhou on Tuesday, discussing the profound challenges and opportunities brought about by artificial intelligence. Ma told the group that the impact of AI was “immense”, but so were the “opportunities” and that teenagers held the greatest hope and opportunity for adapting to and enabling transformation in the AI era, according to a statement issued by Hangzhou Yungu... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345343/jack-ma-alibaba-executives-meet-teachers-discuss-how-education-should-adapt-ai-era?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3345343/jack-ma-alibaba-executives-meet-teachers-discuss-how-education-should-adapt-ai-era?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 03:37:00 +0000 Lam Ka-sing,Jimmy Chow Lam Ka-sing,Jimmy Chow Hong Kong firefighters have been honoured for their heroic response to November’s deadly Tai Po fire – the city’s worst in decades – at the 13th Spirit of Hong Kong Awards, which celebrates unsung heroes who contribute to the community or inspire others through stories of resilience and perseverance. The Fire Services Department received an appreciation flag at the awards co-organised by the South China Morning Post and Sino Group at the Conrad Hong Kong, where 10 winners were selected from 27... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344509/spirit-hong-kong-awards-john-lee-hails-role-models-firefighters-feted?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344509/spirit-hong-kong-awards-john-lee-hails-role-models-firefighters-feted?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 15:07:47 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow Alibaba Group Holding’s artificial intelligence strategy is defined by a commitment to open-source models, the company said on Tuesday, following a year of soaring adoption for its suite of AI services. The statement came as Alibaba’s stock in New York rose more than 10 per cent on Monday, following news that its flagship Qwen family of AI models surpassed 700 million downloads on the developer platform Hugging Face, making it the world’s most widely adopted open-source AI system. “A defining... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3339765/alibaba-reaffirms-open-source-ai-commitment-tech-giant-hails-qwen-achievements?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3339765/alibaba-reaffirms-open-source-ai-commitment-tech-giant-hails-qwen-achievements?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 13:30:10 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Ant International, the Singapore-based affiliate of Chinese fintech giant Ant Group, on Friday announced a partnership with the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) team New York Liberty. The multi-year initiative would see the company’s Alipay+ fintech platform become an “official sponsor” and “innovation partner for sustainability” of the team, to “jointly support community programmes designed to advance community empowerment, environmental sustainability and youth development”... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3337122/alipay-announces-sponsorship-deal-wnba-team-new-york-liberty-amid-global-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3337122/alipay-announces-sponsorship-deal-wnba-team-new-york-liberty-amid-global-push?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Dec 2025 13:00:32 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Alibaba Group Holding named its cloud unit’s technology officer Zhou Jingren, who also leads its artificial intelligence lab Tongyi and the development of its Qwen AI models, as a new member of the group in charge of steering the business empire, according to people briefed about the decision. Alibaba has not updated the information on its official website. The Alibaba Partnership had 17 members before the addition, including co-founders Jack Ma and Joe Tsai as permanent ones. Alibaba did not... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3335932/alibaba-names-ai-lab-leader-zhou-jingren-new-group-partner?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3335932/alibaba-names-ai-lab-leader-zhou-jingren-new-group-partner?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Dec 2025 12:00:42 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Ant International, the Singapore-based affiliate of Chinese fintech giant Ant Group, has named US basketball star Sabrina Ionescu as its global brand ambassador in a fresh partnership between sports and tech. The four-time all-star in the US Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) was chosen as part of an effort to expand access to financial tools via innovative technology, the digital payments provider said on Tuesday. The 28-year-old point guard – an Olympic gold medallist and the top... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3335649/ant-international-signs-wnba-star-sabrina-ionescu-brand-ambassador?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3335649/ant-international-signs-wnba-star-sabrina-ionescu-brand-ambassador?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Dec 2025 16:01:07 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Billionaire investor Marc Lasry believes professional tennis is “ripe for disruption”, and revealed he had discussed ideas for innovation with the sport’s officials. Speaking on the sidelines of the South China Morning Post’s Family Business Summit 2025 on Friday, Lasry said he thought leading figures in the game were open to change. “I have talked to the folks there, and we are trying to do a couple of things,” he told the Post at the Rosewood Hong Kong hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui, before taking... https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3331974/billionaire-investor-marc-lasry-sees-huge-opportunity-innovation-tennis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/article/3331974/billionaire-investor-marc-lasry-sees-huge-opportunity-innovation-tennis?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Nov 2025 11:35:07 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu is scheduled to speak in a fireside chat on Friday during the third Family Business Summit in Hong Kong, as the city burnishes its role as the offshore fundraising hub and ‘superconnector’ between the Chinese mainland and the rest of the world. The speech is the highlight of the conference, curated by the South China Morning Post and Blue Pool Capital, with UBS as the presenting partner. The attendees – by invitation only – comprise about 150 private business... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3331821/hong-kong-leader-john-lee-speak-third-annual-confab-family-owned-businesses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3331821/hong-kong-leader-john-lee-speak-third-annual-confab-family-owned-businesses?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Nov 2025 23:30:09 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow Tencent Holdings has seen a more than 20 per cent boost in research and development (R&D) efficiency because of artificial intelligence-powered automation, China’s most valuable tech conglomerate said in a new report. The implementation of an in-house AI-powered platform called WeDev led to a 67 per cent increase in the company’s R&D automation rate, according to its Research and Development Big Data Report 2025 released on Friday. More than a quarter of code-related problems across Tencent’s... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3330486/tencent-claims-20-gain-rd-efficiency-ai-automation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3330486/tencent-claims-20-gain-rd-efficiency-ai-automation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Oct 2025 11:00:38 +0000 SCMP Reporter SCMP Reporter The South China Morning Post has announced an overhaul of its organisational structure to appoint a publisher who will oversee both editorial and business operations at Hong Kong’s English-language newspaper of record. Board chairman Joe Tsai on Monday said editor-in-chief Tammy Tam would take up the newly created position of publisher, while executive editor Chow Chung-yan would be promoted to take over from her as head of the newsroom. CEO Catherine So would be leaving the Post after 3½ years... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3330452/south-china-morning-post-appoints-tammy-tam-publisher-major-structural-overhaul?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3330452/south-china-morning-post-appoints-tammy-tam-publisher-major-structural-overhaul?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Oct 2025 07:51:26 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Alibaba Group Holding’s Qwen AI models are winning over major Western firms like Airbnb, underscoring the growing global appeal of China’s open-source approach to artificial intelligence. Brian Chesky, co-founder and CEO of the San Francisco-based online accommodation booking giant, said Airbnb “relies heavily” on Alibaba’s Qwen models to power its AI-driven customer service agent, according to a Bloomberg report on Tuesday. Chesky, a friend of OpenAI founder and CEO Sam Altman, said ChatGPT’s... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3329921/airbnb-picks-alibabas-qwen-over-chatgpt-win-chinese-open-source-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3329921/airbnb-picks-alibabas-qwen-over-chatgpt-win-chinese-open-source-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Oct 2025 09:00:09 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal,Salina Li Cheryl Arcibal,Salina Li Alibaba Group Holding and Ant Group have agreed to pay HK$7.2 billion (US$925 million) to buy the top floors of a Causeway Bay office tower that Mandarin Oriental International is building on the site of The Excelsior hotel, marking Hong Kong’s largest real estate transactions since 2021. Alibaba and Ant bought 301,555 sq ft (28,015 square metres) of space, comprising the top 13 floors of the 24-storey building, with parking space for 50 vehicles and signage rights to the tower, according to... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3329403/alibaba-ant-buy-top-13-floors-one-causeway-bay-relief-hong-kongs-property-glut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3329403/alibaba-ant-buy-top-13-floors-one-causeway-bay-relief-hong-kongs-property-glut?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Oct 2025 09:24:38 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Alibaba Group Holding chairman Joe Tsai has expressed optimism about US-China trade tensions. “I’m actually quite optimistic that we’re not going to devolve into kind of a race to the bottom”, he said during an interview with CNBC dated October 10 and published on Monday. “The two countries’ leaders have the wisdom to come to a point where they recognise that this is a hugely symbiotic relationship,” he added. Tsai, who owns the Brooklyn Nets basketball team, spoke on the sidelines of an NBA... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3328866/us-china-leaders-will-avoid-race-bottom-trade-alibabas-joe-tsai-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3328866/us-china-leaders-will-avoid-race-bottom-trade-alibabas-joe-tsai-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Oct 2025 15:19:39 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan This year’s NBA China Games concluded on Sunday night, but close-season developments on and off the court have added to the intrigue over which teams could make a visit in the coming seasons. After the Brooklyn Nets beat the Phoenix Suns 111-109 in Macau on Sunday to split their two-game pre-season series, the Post revealed the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets would face off in another mouthwatering clash at The Venetian Arena in 12 months. A combined attendance of 22,634 from two... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3328819/nba-china-games-celtics-trail-blazers-thrown-mix-teams-coming-next-few-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3328819/nba-china-games-celtics-trail-blazers-thrown-mix-teams-coming-next-few-years?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Oct 2025 10:00:23 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow When Alibaba Group Holding’s CEO Eddie Wu Yongming took the stage at the company’s annual Apsara conference in Hangzhou on September 24, few people expected the media-shy executive to deliver anything shocking, especially since he read from prepared statements at last year’s event. Wu, however, immediately outlined a clear road map for Alibaba’s AI development, with a goal towards so-called artificial superintelligence (ASI) – when the firm’s Qwen open-source models and cloud services would... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3328568/chinas-lesson-us-it-takes-more-chips-win-ai-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3328568/chinas-lesson-us-it-takes-more-chips-win-ai-race?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Oct 2025 04:00:13 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong The NBA made a star-studded return to China on Friday, with singers, dancers, thousands of fans and a glittering array of celebrities cheering the league’s first game in the country for six years. A night long in the making began with a crowd of 11,317 at The Venetian Arena in Macau being treated to a show of illuminated lion dancers dressed in black, orange and purple, the colours of the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns. “Thank you for letting us back,” the Suns’ Dillon Brooks told the crowd in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3328603/phoenix-suns-shine-macau-nba-makes-star-studded-return-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3328603/phoenix-suns-shine-macau-nba-makes-star-studded-return-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Oct 2025 15:59:31 +0000 Danielle Popov Danielle Popov Alibaba Group Holding’s artificial intelligence and cloud computing unit on Thursday inked a multi-year collaboration with the National Basketball Association (NBA) in China, a partnership that is expected to strengthen fan engagement on the mainland for the world’s premier men’s professional basketball league. Alibaba Cloud will develop innovative applications to enhance live game viewing and other fan engagement experiences, including with the annual NBA All-Star Game, the NBA Playoffs and the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3328352/alibaba-cloud-inks-multi-year-deal-nba-china-latest-sports-related-collaboration?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3328352/alibaba-cloud-inks-multi-year-deal-nba-china-latest-sports-related-collaboration?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Oct 2025 09:00:09 +0000 Danielle Popov Danielle Popov Alibaba Group Holding has established a robotics artificial intelligence team at its Qwen laboratory, marking its entry into the AI-powered hardware industry as tech giants accelerate their development in the field, according to a researcher from the lab. “In case you don’t know, I set up a small team for robotics and embodied AI inside Qwen,” Lin Junyang, a tech leader at Qwen, said in a social media post on Wednesday, sparking speculation about Alibaba’s strategic initiatives in creating... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3328342/alibabas-qwen-lab-sets-robotics-team-showcasing-its-ai-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3328342/alibabas-qwen-lab-sets-robotics-team-showcasing-its-ai-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Oct 2025 07:00:14 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen China-US competition in artificial intelligence should not be viewed as a winner-takes-all race; rather, it is a marathon where the technology is adopted in different ways in work and life, according to Joe Tsai, the chairman of Alibaba Group Holding. “When it comes to AI, there’s no such thing as winning the race. I think it’s a long marathon,” Tsai, also chairman of the South China Morning Post, said at an event hosted by the American podcast All-In last month. The video and audio of the event... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3328272/alibaba-chairman-joe-tsai-says-us-china-ai-competition-not-winner-takes-all?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3328272/alibaba-chairman-joe-tsai-says-us-china-ai-competition-not-winner-takes-all?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Oct 2025 13:18:45 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Hongkonger Wilson Tsang Wai-shun began following basketball in secondary school, a time when the National Basketball Association (NBA) experienced one of its fastest expansions, acquiring both fortune and fame with fans. While much of that was down to the likes of global superstar Michael Jordan, in China, the sport had by then been popular for decades. But then NBA commissioner David Stern’s initial 1987-88 agreement to broadcast games on China Central Television, around the time Jordan was... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3327889/nets-v-suns-macau-tracing-nbas-rise-fall-and-return-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3327889/nets-v-suns-macau-tracing-nbas-rise-fall-and-return-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Oct 2025 01:00:21 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan The Asian University Basketball League is aiming to break into the “sportainment” market, the tournament’s chief executive has said. College basketball players in Asia, and even Hong Kong, remain largely unknown to the public, so to widen the product’s audience, Jay Li Jintian said he was attempting to create a family-type product suitable for parents to bring their children. In the United States, college basketball remains a popular event, and Li said he was hoping to create a similar culture... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3322880/march-madness-asian-college-basketball-looks-copy-us-pizazz-widen-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3322880/march-madness-asian-college-basketball-looks-copy-us-pizazz-widen-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Aug 2025 00:30:08 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan China’s next generation have an “incredible platform” to pursue their dreams, former NBA executive Greg Stolt has said as a basketball scholarship was hailed for allowing children to target academic and sporting goals simultaneously. Stolt, who also played professionally in France, Japan and Australia, on Thursday praised the opportunities offered by the Joe Tsai Basketball Scholarship (JTBS) at a training session for local pupils in the mainland Chinese city of Hangzhou. Officials running the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3322668/basketball-or-study-chinese-children-can-pursue-both-incredible-platform?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3322668/basketball-or-study-chinese-children-can-pursue-both-incredible-platform?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Aug 2025 09:44:46 +0000 SCMP SCMP Chinese artificial intelligence companies are charting a different course from their Silicon Valley counterparts by embracing open-source AI, enabling developers worldwide to freely use and contribute to their models. In the latest China Future Tech webinar, South China Morning Post technology editor Zhou Xin, senior correspondent William Zheng, and tech reporters Ben Jiang and Danielle Popov addressed questions about China’s open-source movement and its impact on the global AI landscape. How... https://www.scmp.com/news/china-future-tech/ai/article/3319609/china-future-tech-webinar-how-chinas-open-source-movement-changed-landscape-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china-future-tech/ai/article/3319609/china-future-tech-webinar-how-chinas-open-source-movement-changed-landscape-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Jul 2025 09:29:14 +0000 Ben Jiang,Coco Feng,Wency Chen Ben Jiang,Coco Feng,Wency Chen July 9, 2024, may be remembered as a day of humiliation for China’s artificial intelligence community. On that day, US start-up OpenAI, the global leader in AI model development, blocked developers in China – including Hong Kong and Macau – from using its GPT models. In contrast, developers from countries ranging from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe were given access, reflecting OpenAI’s unspoken belief that its valuable models must be safeguarded against misuse by China, along with Iran, Russia and... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3318747/how-chinas-open-source-ai-helping-deepseek-alibaba-take-silicon-valley?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3318747/how-chinas-open-source-ai-helping-deepseek-alibaba-take-silicon-valley?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Jul 2025 02:00:14 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Alibaba Group Holding’s open-source Qwen artificial intelligence (AI) model has enabled the agentic framework DeepSWE to outperform rival systems in this growing segment, according to the software platform’s developers. Jointly developed by open-source initiative Agentica and San Francisco-based start-up Together AI, DeepSWE was trained on the Qwen3-32B large language model (LLM) – part of Alibaba Cloud’s third-generation family of AI models. It topped the leaderboard of the latest... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3316821/alibabas-open-source-ai-model-shines-qwen-based-agentic-framework-tops-global-ranking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3316821/alibabas-open-source-ai-model-shines-qwen-based-agentic-framework-tops-global-ranking?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Jul 2025 13:00:12 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen Alibaba Group Holding has launched a new artificial intelligence (AI) model, Qwen VLo, said to be capable of generating and editing images with a finesse akin to that of a human artist, intensifying the competition in multimodal models as the tech giant seeks to redefine itself as an AI leader. Released on Friday, Qwen VLo was a “comprehensive upgrade” from previous models like QwenVL and Qwen2.5 VL, the company said. It could better understand input and create more precise images, accommodate... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3316213/alibaba-unveils-new-ai-model-image-creation-open-source-approach-gains-recognition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3316213/alibaba-unveils-new-ai-model-image-creation-open-source-approach-gains-recognition?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Jun 2025 09:00:07 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Alibaba Group Holding has trimmed its partnership – a key corporate governance body for the e-commerce and artificial intelligence (AI) giant – as it embraces younger business leaders and strives to return to a start-up mindset. Nine executives and company veterans – including former CEO Daniel Zhang Yong, 53, and fellow co-founders Trudy Dai Shan, 48, and Lucy Peng Lei, 51, who started the company with Jack Ma in 1999 – have exited the partnership, according to Alibaba’s annual report released... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3316078/alibaba-trims-key-governance-body-it-embraces-ai-and-bets-younger-leaders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3316078/alibaba-trims-key-governance-body-it-embraces-ai-and-bets-younger-leaders?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Jun 2025 07:30:08 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen Alibaba Group Holding chairman Joe Tsai said that open-sourcing large language models (LLMs) would spur a surge in artificial intelligence (AI) applications and boost demand for cloud computing, as the company refines the focus of its sprawling business empire after “a period of huge ordeal”. One reason Alibaba has opted to open-source its Qwen models is that it “democratises the usage of AI” and “proliferates applications”, which would contribute to the company’s cloud computing business, Tsai... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3314070/alibabas-joe-tsai-says-open-sourcing-its-ai-models-will-boost-firms-cloud-business?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3314070/alibabas-joe-tsai-says-open-sourcing-its-ai-models-will-boost-firms-cloud-business?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Jun 2025 15:46:19 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen Alibaba Group Holding chairman Joe Tsai said the company was now “on a very good path” after overcoming a series of setbacks in the past few years, including a regulatory crackdown and geopolitical uncertainties, as the tech giant sharpens its focus on core businesses including e-commerce and artificial intelligence (AI). “[If] you look at Alibaba for the last five years, there were a ton of setbacks,” Tsai said on Saturday in a fireside chat at the Beyond Expo in Macau. “It’s a confluence of... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3311678/alibaba-chairman-joe-tsai-says-company-good-path-after-years-setbacks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3311678/alibaba-chairman-joe-tsai-says-company-good-path-after-years-setbacks?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 May 2025 13:31:55 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Chinese photo-editing app operator Meitu saw its shares in Hong Kong rise to a seven-year high on Wednesday, following the announcement of its strategic partnership with Alibaba Group Holding and the issuance of US$250 million in convertible bonds to a subsidiary of the e-commerce giant. After trading hours on Tuesday, Alibaba.com China conditionally agreed to subscribe to the convertible bonds for a term of three years, “at an initial conversion price of HK$6 per conversion share”, according to... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3311211/alibaba-lands-us250-million-convertible-bonds-deal-ai-pact-selfie-app-giant-meitu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3311211/alibaba-lands-us250-million-convertible-bonds-deal-ai-pact-selfie-app-giant-meitu?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 May 2025 09:00:51 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Alibaba Group Holding’s operations will be driven by artificial intelligence (AI) in the next three to five years, in line with the e-commerce giant’s ambitious AI strategy, according to chairman Joe Tsai. “In the next three to five years, all of our businesses should be driven by AI,” Tsai said on Saturday at AliDay, the company’s annual gathering for staff and family members. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post. He added that he envisioned AI helping to grow the user base for its... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3309905/ai-will-be-mainstay-alibabas-business-next-3-5-years-chairman-joe-tsai-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3309905/ai-will-be-mainstay-alibabas-business-next-3-5-years-chairman-joe-tsai-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 May 2025 10:00:16 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba Group Holding, received a rock-star welcome on Friday as he appeared at an annual event for staff and family, lifting employees’ spirits during a time of strategic repositioning at the business empire he established, according to company sources. Ma, 60, visited Alibaba’s campus in Hangzhou, capital of east Zhejiang province, in the evening. He toured a replica of the flat where he founded the company 26 years ago and attended a music show alongside thousands of... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3309853/jack-mas-alibaba-visit-and-replica-flat-spark-nostalgia-over-companys-humble-start?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3309853/jack-mas-alibaba-visit-and-replica-flat-spark-nostalgia-over-companys-humble-start?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 May 2025 10:30:09 +0000 Ann Cao,Ben Jiang Ann Cao,Ben Jiang Misa Zhu Mingming, an engineer who had worked at Alibaba Group Holding, left in 2014 to found his own venture, Rokid. The start-up, which develops smart glasses, was backed by angel investors that included Vision Plus Capital, formed by Eddie Wu Yongming and others before Wu became CEO of Alibaba in 2023. A decade later, Rokid has emerged as one of the most prominent technology start-ups in Hangzhou, Alibaba’s home city in eastern China. Over the past months, its augmented reality (AR) glasses,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3305243/how-alibaba-turning-chinas-ai-powerhouse-and-school-entrepreneurs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3305243/how-alibaba-turning-chinas-ai-powerhouse-and-school-entrepreneurs?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Apr 2025 02:00:14 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Microsoft has walked away from new data centre projects in the US and Europe that would have amounted to a capacity of about 2 gigawatts of electricity, according to TD Cowen analysts, who attributed the pullback to an oversupply of the clusters of computers that power artificial intelligence (AI). The analysts, who rattled investors with a February note highlighting leases Microsoft had abandoned in the US, said the latest move also reflected the company’s choice to forgo some new business from... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3304043/microsoft-abandons-data-centre-projects-us-and-europe-sparking-oversupply-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3304043/microsoft-abandons-data-centre-projects-us-and-europe-sparking-oversupply-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Mar 2025 02:09:51 +0000 Yuke Xie Yuke Xie Hong Kong will introduce a series of measures for family offices to set up operations, boosting the city’s standing as a leading financial centre, according to Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po. “This year, in addition to our existing tax concessions for single family offices, we will expand exemptions for funds, enhance concessions for family offices and boost incentives for private equity,” Chan told participants at the Wealth for Good in Hong Kong summit on Wednesday. “Hong Kong is Asia’s... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3304010/more-measures-way-attract-family-offices-hong-kong-paul-chan-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3304010/more-measures-way-attract-family-offices-hong-kong-paul-chan-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Mar 2025 13:26:50 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen Alibaba Group Holding chairman Joe Tsai raised “philosophical” questions on Wednesday to young entrepreneurs about whether machines could ever surpass human intelligence and cast doubt on the necessity of humanoid robots. Speaking at the grand finale of Jumpstarter in Hong Kong, an event organised by the Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund designed to promote fresh start-up ideas, Tsai highlighted the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) across industries, saying it is set to benefit... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3304005/alibaba-chairman-joe-tsai-questions-ais-limits-casts-doubt-humanoid-robots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3304005/alibaba-chairman-joe-tsai-questions-ais-limits-casts-doubt-humanoid-robots?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Mar 2025 12:39:18 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Alibaba Group Holding and its fintech affiliate Ant Group, both founded by Jack Ma and based in Zhejiang’s capital Hangzhou, have entered into strategic partnerships with the provincial government to advance local economic development and artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives. Provincial governor Liu Jie attended a signing ceremony in Hangzhou on Tuesday, along with Alibaba chairman Joe Tsai and Ant chairman Eric Jing Xiandong, according to a statement from the Zhejiang government. Lu Shan,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3303965/alibaba-ant-partner-home-province-zhejiang-support-chinas-ai-drive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3303965/alibaba-ant-partner-home-province-zhejiang-support-chinas-ai-drive?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Mar 2025 10:30:09 +0000 HSBC kicked off its second global investment summit in Hong Kong on Tuesday on the theme of “new networks of influence”. The theme is particularly apt, as the administration of US President Donald Trump has had a profound impact on global networks in its first couple of months. HSBC chairman Mark Tucker set the scene with a keynote speech to emphasise both the opportunities and risks that come with evolving networks. For Hong Kong, the theme embodies its role as a “superconnector” between... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3303895/hsbc-global-summit-touts-hong-kong-superconnector-ai-everyones-lips?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3303895/hsbc-global-summit-touts-hong-kong-superconnector-ai-everyones-lips?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Mar 2025 09:01:28 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang Alibaba Group Holding chairman Joe Tsai is raising some alarm bells on global tech investments to support advances in artificial intelligence (AI) services, citing a possible bubble in speculative bets on data-centre construction as an example. A rush among global tech leaders and investment funds into infrastructure projects to support AI’s computational, storage and energy needs is worrisome, he said at the HSBC Global Investment Summit in Hong Kong on Tuesday. “I start to see the beginning of... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3303769/some-ai-related-bets-are-speculative-and-creating-bubble-alibabas-tsai-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3303769/some-ai-related-bets-are-speculative-and-creating-bubble-alibabas-tsai-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Mar 2025 06:35:52 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong’s low-tax regime, active capital market and integration with the Greater Bay Area suit global family offices and investors, selling points that have helped widen its lead over regional hubs like Singapore and Tokyo, according to industry experts The city should hold more conferences and events to promote its competitive advantages, Oliver Weisberg, CEO of Blue Pool Capital, the family office of businessman Joe Tsai, said at the Milken Global Investor Symposium in Hong Kong on Monday.... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3303597/hong-kong-thrives-low-tax-regime-and-active-capital-market-family-office-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3303597/hong-kong-thrives-low-tax-regime-and-active-capital-market-family-office-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Mar 2025 08:00:09 +0000 Cao Li Cao Li Alibaba Group Holding chairman Joe Tsai and Adrian Cheng Chi-kong, the former CEO of New World Development, will be among the influential business leaders and financiers speaking at the Wealth for Good in Hong Kong Summit next week. According to a statement released on Thursday by the Hong Kong government, other speakers include Steve Davis of the Gates Foundation; Horst Bente, founder of the US-based multifamily office ADLEGACY; Swarovski International Holding vice-chairman Robert Buchbauer;... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3303151/alibabas-joe-tsai-nwd-scion-adrian-cheng-headline-wealth-good-hong-kong-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3303151/alibabas-joe-tsai-nwd-scion-adrian-cheng-headline-wealth-good-hong-kong-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Mar 2025 08:16:49 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen DeepSeek’s singular focus on technological advances has positioned the Chinese start-up for growth, according to artificial intelligence (AI) scientist Yang Hongxia, as US rival OpenAI contends with copyright challenges from content owners and a legal tussle with former investor Elon Musk. Yang, who serves as associate dean for global engagement at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, said at a forum last Tuesday that the Hangzhou-based company was relatively “free from [commercial] product and... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3302697/deepseeks-success-lies-start-ups-singular-focus-innovation-ai-scientist-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3302697/deepseeks-success-lies-start-ups-singular-focus-innovation-ai-scientist-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Mar 2025 12:00:10 +0000 Basketball star Sabrina Ionescu told Hong Kong pupils on Sunday “anything is possible” and they should “dream big”, after arriving in the city for the third and final stop of her Nike Asia Tour. The three-time WNBA All-Star visited Hong Kong’s Ju Ching Chu Secondary School in Kwai Chung and Heep Yunn School in Ma Tau Wai, where she took part in drills with members of the schools’ basketball teams and presented pupils with signed shoes and notebooks. Ionescu, a point guard with the WNBA champions... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3302589/wnba-star-sabrina-ionescu-tells-hong-kong-pupils-dream-big-third-leg-asia-tour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3302589/wnba-star-sabrina-ionescu-tells-hong-kong-pupils-dream-big-third-leg-asia-tour?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Mar 2025 12:51:42 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao President Xi Jinping’s high-profile meeting with technology business leaders last month significantly enhanced the confidence of Chinese companies, prompting Alibaba Group Holding to make substantial investments in artificial intelligence (AI), according to company chairman and co-founder Joe Tsai during a conference in Singapore. “I wouldn’t underestimate the importance of that event,” Tsai said on Wednesday at a gathering hosted by US broadcaster CNBC. “The message is very, very clear that the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3302080/alibabas-joe-tsai-xi-jinpings-entrepreneur-meeting-fuels-business-confidence-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3302080/alibabas-joe-tsai-xi-jinpings-entrepreneur-meeting-fuels-business-confidence-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Mar 2025 09:00:09 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Alibaba Group Holding on Thursday unveiled an open-source artificial intelligence (AI) reasoning model that it said surpassed the performance of DeepSeek’s R1, highlighting the Chinese technology giant’s robust AI capabilities across models and data-centre infrastructure. Following the launch of its QwQ-32B model, Alibaba’s Hong Kong-listed shares surged nearly 8.4 per cent to close at HK$140.80 on Thursday. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post. Despite its relatively modest 32 billion... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3301254/alibaba-touts-ai-model-better-deepseek-openai-products-driving-stock-surge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3301254/alibaba-touts-ai-model-better-deepseek-openai-products-driving-stock-surge?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Mar 2025 05:17:53 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao E-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding’s strategic transformation into one of China’s leading artificial intelligence (AI) companies has investors all agog, as the Hangzhou-based tech conglomerate ratchets up investment over the next three years in this field. Alibaba’s Hong Kong-listed shares surged 15 per cent to close at HK$138.50 on Friday, following an 8 per cent gain overnight in New York, as the company beat analysts’ consensus estimates with better-than-expected profit and revenue in the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3299696/alibaba-investors-hail-e-commerce-giants-ai-pivot-it-plots-major-investment-outlay?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3299696/alibaba-investors-hail-e-commerce-giants-ai-pivot-it-plots-major-investment-outlay?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:00:12 +0000 SCMP Reporter SCMP Reporter Chinese President Xi Jinping will host a meeting next week with some of the nation’s top entrepreneurs - including six Hangzhou-based start-ups known as the “Six Little Dragons” - to recognise progress in critical areas of technological advancement and show support to the private sector, according to sources. Between 20 and 30 founders and chief executives from China’s largest technology companies were expected to assemble in Beijing on Monday, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3298742/chinas-xi-jinping-hold-high-level-meeting-monday-top-tech-entrepreneurs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3298742/chinas-xi-jinping-hold-high-level-meeting-monday-top-tech-entrepreneurs?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Feb 2025 09:45:32 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Alibaba Group Holding founder Jack Ma on Thursday visited a Freshippo supermarket in central Hunan province, days after he appeared at the Chinese e-commerce giant’s Hangzhou campus in a show of support for the business empire he created more than two decades ago. Ma – wearing a grey T-shirt, navy blue coat, white cap and black face mask – was spotted touring a Freshippo store in Hunan’s capital Changsha, according to photos shared by shoppers on social media. In one picture, he was seen walking... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3298674/jack-ma-tours-alibabas-freshippo-supermarket-central-china-after-xianyu-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3298674/jack-ma-tours-alibabas-freshippo-supermarket-central-china-after-xianyu-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Feb 2025 07:00:44 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Apple and its rivals in the Chinese smartphone market are in a heated race to adopt the country’s fast-improving artificial intelligence (AI) models, including those from DeepSeek and Alibaba Group Holding. The iPhone maker struck a deal to use Alibaba’s Qwen models for Apple Intelligence in mainland China, the South China Morning Post reported on Tuesday, citing sources. Apple Intelligence is supported by OpenAI’s ChatGPT in most international markets, but in China, only AI models approved by... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3298522/chinas-smartphone-brands-embrace-deepseeks-ai-models-apple-partners-alibaba?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3298522/chinas-smartphone-brands-embrace-deepseeks-ai-models-apple-partners-alibaba?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Feb 2025 12:51:22 +0000