Alibaba partner and AutoNavi Chairman Liu Zhenfei recently posted on the company's internal network, sharing details of a management team-building event in Hangzhou that involved planting rice seedlings. The post, titled "Having Seedlings in Hand Ensures Future Grain," described the relaxed and informal activity. Some Alibaba employees humorously remarked that it was like a live-action version of the "Baba Farm" mini-game.
In his internal post, Liu Zhenfei wrote: "A few days ago in Hangzhou, colleagues and I experienced transplanting rice seedlings. More than a dozen of us worked for a whole morning and only managed to plant half a mu of paddy field, and rather crookedly at that." Photos from the event revealed a high-profile lineup of "colleagues" participating in the planting team-building exercise. Attendees included Jack Ma, Wu Yongming, Shao Xiaofeng, Jiang Fan, Wu Zeming, and Jiang Fang. Ant Group Chairman Jing Xiandong and CEO Han Xinyi also took part. The management teams from both Alibaba and Ant Group rolled up their trousers and entered the fields to plant seedlings, appearing in a relaxed state. Notably, Alibaba's Chief Scientist, Zhou Jingren, was also present at the planting site. His appearance serves to confirm once again that recent rumors of his departure from the company are unfounded.
"The principle in the field is simple: when the season arrives, you must plant when it's time to plant, and you must persevere when endurance is required. As long as you take good care of the land, select good seedlings, and conscientiously do everything that needs to be done, then leave the rest to time. The land will not let you down," Liu Zhenfei elaborated in his post.
Behind this lighthearted farming-themed team-building activity lies the Alibaba management's expression of their overall assessment and stance on AI development. Since announcing a 380 billion yuan investment in AI infrastructure in February 2025, Alibaba's full-stack AI development has entered a fast track. The company has gained leading positions in several areas, including large model capabilities, AI cloud computing, and chips. Meanwhile, other domains such as the consumer-facing exploration of its Qwen model, multimodal AI, and AI agents are still in a phase of "intensive planting," characterized by high-intensity investment.
It is understood that Alibaba has a tradition of organizing team-building events. Each team is allocated a certain budget annually for such activities, with innovation in team-building encouraged. The objective is to stimulate organizational vitality and boost team morale through these gatherings.
An individual familiar with the matter suggested that this management "team-building" event, attended by key members in a relaxed atmosphere, also serves to externally convey confidence: that the people of Alibaba remain united and optimistic, firmly positive about the company's current development and the future of AI.
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