Chinese giant Alibaba is building an AI empire

The Chinese giant Alibaba Group Holding is rapidly expanding its influence in the artificial intelligence (AI)building a true technological empire. With a business of cloud and AI rapidly expanding, the company is positioning itself as one of the main players in the development of China’s AI industry. This prominence was evident during its main annual conference, the Apsarawhich happened in Hangzhoucapital of Zhejiang province in eastern China, and ended last Saturday (21).

Held for 16 years, the event has become an essential platform for emerging AI startups Chinese companies, providing a space for them to present their latest discoveries and discuss the trends that are shaping the industry. Companies focused on large language models (LLM) e generative AI applications were in the spotlight, highlighting Alibaba’s relevance as a facilitator and investor in this market.

Expansion of the AI ​​Empire

Alibaba has been investing aggressively in its family of LLMs, Tongyi Qianwenand adopted a bold funding strategy in the country’s top AI startups. The company already has a stake in the so-called “four AI tigers” from China — Moonshot AI, Baichuan AI, Zhipu AI e MiniMax. Each of these companies is receiving financial backing from tech giants, venture capitalists and state capital.

For example, the Moonshot AIwhich Alibaba owns 36% sharedisplayed his Chemistry AI chatbot at the conference booth. The company founder, Yang Zhilinparticipated in a panel where he discussed the new opportunities arising from the development of global LLMs, such as OpenAI o1, created in the United States.

Furthermore, the Apsara 2023 marked the first participation of many startups from Generative AIas the industry becomes increasingly competitive in China. A notable example is the startup 01.AIfounded by computer scientist Lee Kai-fuwhich became a unicorn in less than eight months. According to a company representative, Alibaba’s support was not limited to just financing, but also opportunities to connect with strategic partners in the industrial ecosystem.

Growth and Global Partnerships

The growth of the arm of cloud and AI Alibaba’s growth has been exponential. In a statement during the conference, the company revealed that the Tongyi Qianwenits generative AI model, has already attracted more than 300,000 customers through the platform Model Studio — a significant increase compared to the 90.000 users registered in May of this year.

The success of this division has made it the main highlight of Alibaba’s business empire, which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary of its IPO in New York. In the last quarter, the company’s AI-related product revenue grew by triple digits, according to published reports.

During the conference, the Alibaba Cloud also showcased case studies that demonstrate how their Tongyi models are being used to empower customers and partners. One example is the collaboration with electric vehicle manufacturer Xpengwhich is using technology to improve the cockpit experience of its smart cars. Another notable case is the partnership with miHoYoone of China’s leading game developers, relies on Alibaba’s cloud infrastructure to launch new titles.

Foreign Participation

This year, the Apsara Conference also opened space for foreign companies, including the North American Nvidiaa semiconductor giant. Nvidia, which faces U.S. export restrictions to China on its most advanced graphics processing units, used the event to bolster its presence in the Chinese market.

Hey manglobal vice president of Nvidia, highlighted that the company is collaborating with the Alibaba Cloud to meet the growing demand for computing power in China. He also highlighted Nvidia’s long history at the event, marking the 11th time the company has participated in the Apsara Conference.

Nvidia’s booth primarily showcased its software and hardware products aimed at accelerated computingreinforcing its commitment to continue working in China’s AI industry despite the challenges posed by trade restrictions.

The Future of AI in China

As Alibaba continues to invest and expand its presence in the AI ​​sector, it is clear that the company is cementing its position as a technological empire within China. With its strategic partnerships, support for emerging startups and the creation of a robust ecosystem of cloud and AIAlibaba is shaping the future of artificial intelligence in the country.

A Apsara Conference has become a benchmark in the industry, highlighting Alibaba’s role as a driving force for technological innovation. As competition in the field of Generative AI intensifies, Alibaba seems determined to lead the race, building an empire that already spans several fronts, from e-commerce has cloudand now to artificial intelligence.