The initiative comes shortly after the resignation of Lin Junyang, head of the company’s Qwen AI division. According to a letter sent to employees on Thursday, the newly formed task force will coordinate resources across the Alibaba ecosystem to strengthen the company’s work on foundation models—the large-scale AI systems that power generative tools and intelligent applications.
Leadership of the effort will be overseen directly by Alibaba Group CEO Eddie Wu, alongside Group Chief Technology Officer Wu Zeming and Zhou Jingren. The trio will guide the initiative while mobilizing engineering talent and technical resources from different business units within the company.
Continued Role for Alibaba’s AI Research Lab
Despite the restructuring, Zhou Jingren will maintain his existing role as head of Tongyi Laboratory, Alibaba’s primary AI research unit. The lab remains responsible for several ongoing research programs and development efforts related to large language models and generative AI technologies.
Tongyi Laboratory plays a central role in the development of Alibaba’s generative AI ecosystem, including the company’s flagship large language model family, Qwen.
Leadership Changes Within the Qwen Division
The announcement follows a post by Lin Junyang on the social platform X (formerly Twitter) confirming that he had stepped down from his leadership position. Lin’s departure marks the third senior executive exit from the Qwen team this year, underscoring a period of transition within one of Alibaba’s most strategically important technology units.
In its internal communication, Alibaba acknowledged Lin’s resignation while reaffirming its commitment to the company’s long-term AI ambitions.
Increased Investment in Artificial Intelligence
The company also pledged to allocate additional financial and technical resources toward its AI development programs. The move reflects intensifying competition among global technology firms seeking leadership in generative AI and large-scale foundation models.
For Alibaba, strengthening its AI capabilities is seen as critical not only for cloud services but also for improving digital commerce, enterprise solutions, and consumer applications across its vast platform ecosystem.
The formation of the new task force suggests the company is aiming to centralize its AI strategy and accelerate innovation, ensuring it remains competitive in a market increasingly defined by rapid advances in artificial intelligence.