- Departure rumor follows transfer of Qwen’s core model team into CEO-led AI unit
- Latest move would mark another senior loss from Alibaba’s flagship AI organization
Alibaba Group’s newly appointed chief scientist Zhou Jingren (周靖人) has reportedly submitted his resignation, according to multiple Chinese media reports, casting fresh uncertainty over the future direction of the company’s artificial intelligence strategy.
Alibaba has not responded to the reports as of publication.
The timing has drawn particular attention because Alibaba announced on June 8 that Zhou, an Alibaba veteran, partner and one of the architects of the company’s AI strategy, would serve as chief scientist and lead the newly established Alibaba AI Future Institute, a research organization focused on frontier AI technologies.
Reduced influence
The reported departure surfaced just six days after the appointment, prompting speculation about the significance of Alibaba’s latest organizational overhaul.
Industry observers noted that the same restructuring transferred the core model development team from Alibaba’s Qwen large-language-model unit into the newly created Token Foundry division, which reports directly to Group CEO Eddie Wu Yongming.
While Zhou received the company’s highest scientific title, the shift effectively placed the key Qwen model research organization under a different reporting structure.
Some industry commentators interpreted the move as a reduction in operational influence despite the promotion.
An Alibaba veteran
Zhou has been one of Alibaba’s most prominent AI leaders since joining the company in 2015. He previously served as chief scientist and chief technology officer of Alibaba Cloud, as well as vice president of Alibaba’s DAMO Academy.
He was instrumental in building the Qwen model family, which emerged as one of the world’s most widely adopted open-source AI model series.
In December 2025, Zhou was appointed an Alibaba partner, becoming one of the few executives with a purely technical background to enter the company’s top decision-making body.
Fourth senior exit
If confirmed, his departure would mark the fourth senior exit from the Qwen organization this year. Qwen technical lead Lin Junyang left in March, followed by post-training lead Yu Bowen and core team member Li Kaixin.
The succession of departures comes as Alibaba intensifies efforts to reorganize its AI operations amid fierce competition in China’s large-model market.
Neither Zhou nor Alibaba has publicly commented on the resignation reports.
Alibaba’ uncertain AI future
For investors and industry observers, the developments highlight a broader question facing Alibaba’s AI business: whether the next phase of development will prioritize fundamental model research or accelerate commercialization efforts.
With Wu assuming direct oversight of Token Foundry and Alibaba’s core model development resources, the company’s evolving AI strategy is likely to remain under close scrutiny.
