TLDR
- Following Qwen division head Lin Junyang’s departure, Alibaba is establishing a Foundation Model Task Force to accelerate AI initiatives.
- CEO Eddie Wu, Group CTO Wu Zeming, and Alibaba Cloud CTO Zhou Jingren will jointly lead the new task force.
- Three senior executives from the Qwen division have departed Alibaba so far in 2025, including Lin.
- Tongyi Laboratory and its current AI initiatives will remain under Zhou Jingren’s leadership.
- The company plans to expand AI research investments and accelerate recruitment of leading AI talent.
Facing a wave of departures in its artificial intelligence unit, Alibaba is taking decisive action with a leadership overhaul that reaches the executive suite. In a memo distributed to Tongyi Laboratory employees — the division responsible for developing Qwen AI models — CEO Eddie Wu outlined the creation of a new task force and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to foundation model advancement.
Alibaba Group Holding Limited, BABA
Taking to X to announce his resignation, Lin Junyang received supportive messages from the broader AI community, with Chinese AI startup MiniMax among those wishing him well. In his internal communication, Wu acknowledged Lin’s valuable contributions to the organization.
The departure of Lin represents the third senior-level exit from the Qwen executive team in 2025, prompting questions about leadership stability in one of China’s premier AI development groups.
With the establishment of this task force, Alibaba’s highest-ranking technology executives now have direct oversight of AI model development efforts. The triumvirate of Wu, Wu Zeming, and Zhou Jingren will collaborate to align resources throughout the organization.
According to Wu’s memo, pushing forward with foundation model development represents a “core strategic priority” essential to the company’s trajectory.
The CEO emphasized that Alibaba remains committed to its open-source approach while simultaneously ramping up investments in AI research initiatives.
The recruitment strategy is also being intensified. Wu’s communication highlighted plans to fast-track hiring of elite talent as a key component of this strategic push.
Leadership Continuity at Tongyi Lab
Maintaining his current position, Zhou Jingren will continue overseeing Tongyi Laboratory, the research division within Alibaba Cloud responsible for Qwen model development. While managing existing projects, he’ll simultaneously fulfill his task force duties.
The Qwen model lineup has emerged as one of Alibaba’s premier AI offerings, earning recognition within the open-source ecosystem for its capabilities and ease of access.
Zhou’s continued presence ensures operational stability at the research level despite the leadership transitions occurring in other areas.
Alibaba Doubles Down on AI Investment
The task force initiative comes with promises of increased financial and human capital allocation to AI development. While specific investment figures weren’t disclosed, Wu’s memo clearly signaled an aggressive expansion strategy.
In his communication to staff, Wu stated the company will “further scale up investment in AI research and development.”
Though Lin’s exit triggered this reorganization, the infrastructure Alibaba is implementing indicates a long-term strategic shift rather than a temporary patch. Direct coordination between the CEO and two chief technology officers over foundation models represents an uncommon organizational approach.
Originally sent to Tongyi Laboratory team members, the memo was subsequently released publicly by Alibaba.
Now balancing two critical responsibilities, Alibaba Cloud CTO Zhou Jingren manages Tongyi Lab operations while participating in the newly formed task force with the company’s top leadership.
In the staff communication, the company acknowledged Lin’s decision to resign and expressed acceptance of his choice.
