Speaking at the 2026 Apsara Conference on the morning of September 22, Alibaba Group Chairman Joe Tsai outlined his key outlook on the AI industry, centered on this year's theme of "Intelligence for Application." He stressed that the industry's focus must pivot from pure technological ambition to large-scale deployment in real-world scenarios.
Tsai noted that Alibaba Cloud was founded 17 years ago, and what began as a developer gathering has evolved into one of China's most significant tech exchange platforms with global reach. He credited Hangzhou's innovation-friendly environment for continuously fueling Alibaba's technological exploration.
In the current AI wave, the industry has witnessed rapid breakthroughs in large language models, embodied intelligence, and world models. But technology is merely the starting point, Tsai said, emphasizing that AI's true purpose lies in its application across every industry to genuinely boost social productivity.
Tsai confirmed that Alibaba remains committed to its five-layer, full-stack AI architecture, spanning chips, cloud infrastructure, large models, model services, and agent-based applications. These interconnected layers are designed to move technology quickly from research into tangible industrial outcomes.
Addressing global market uncertainty, Tsai argued that complexity demands an even stronger commitment to open cooperation and pragmatic innovation. Technology does not create value on its own, he cautioned, urging that only deep integration with industry and close collaboration with partners can truly unlock AI's productive potential.
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