Eddie Wu, Alibaba’s newly appointed CEO, shared his strategic priorities for the Chinese tech giant in a message to employees. Wu emphasized the need for Alibaba to prioritize the user experience and integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into its operations.
Wu, who assumed the role of CEO on September 10, is determined to lead Alibaba back to growth after a tumultuous period in the company’s history. He urged Alibaba to adopt a “user-first” approach, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing user satisfaction. Additionally, Wu stressed the significance of being “AI-driven” in an evolving tech landscape.
He encouraged Alibaba to embrace a “start-up mindset” to adapt swiftly to changing times. Wu’s appointment comes after Daniel Zhang stepped down as CEO to focus on the cloud computing business, but in a surprising twist, Zhang also resigned from his cloud business role, with Wu temporarily taking the helm.
Several months ago, Alibaba underwent a significant restructuring, dividing the company into six distinct business groups, marking one of the most substantial changes in its history.
Wu outlined Alibaba’s two core strategic focuses: “user first” and “AI-driven.” The company plans to strengthen its strategic investments in three key areas.
The first area is referred to as “technology-driven internet platforms.” Wu emphasized the importance of pursuing open and collaborative relationships, even with competitors, signaling a shift from Alibaba’s previous strategy of retaining users within its ecosystem.
Investing in artificial intelligence was another priority highlighted by Wu. Alibaba’s cloud unit aims to establish itself as a leader in AI within China as it seeks to revitalize its business. Wu stressed the need to harness the vast number of use cases generated by Alibaba’s businesses and transform them into AI applications to enhance user experiences and innovate business models.
Wu highlighted the importance of keeping pace with the AI era, stating that failure to adapt to these changes could result in displacement. Alibaba Cloud has already introduced Tongyi Qianwen, a significant language model released earlier this year, which plays a crucial role in chatbot applications.
Globalization remains a key focus for Alibaba, with Wu affirming the company’s commitment to expanding its global presence.
Furthermore, Alibaba aims to promote younger talent within the organization. Over the next four years, individuals born after 1985 and in the 1990s will be nurtured to form the core of Alibaba’s business management teams, signaling a commitment to leadership development and succession planning within the company.