With the hiring of Steven Hoi Chu-hong, a specialist in computer vision and machine learning technologies, Alibaba has taken a major step toward enhancing its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. Hoi, who has extensive expertise in both academia and the tech sector, has been appointed Vice President of Alibaba's Singapore-based Intelligent Information Platform (IIP) division. He will be responsible for the creation of innovative AI solutions for consumer applications, including the Quark search engine, the UC Browser, and Alibaba's AI-powered chatbot.

Hoi has held several significant positions over his remarkable career. From 2019 to 2022, he served as Managing Director of Salesforce Research Asia, where he oversaw the company's AI research and development activities across the Asia-Pacific region. Hoi’s entrepreneurial endeavors also showcase his proficiency in applied AI; in 2023, he established HyperGAI, an applied AI research company based in Singapore, and served as its CEO. In recognition of his contributions to machine learning, Hoi was named a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in 2019. His work in multimodal information retrieval and scalable data analytics earned him the prestigious IEEE fellowship.

Hoi has also had a successful academic career. He taught computer science and artificial intelligence courses as a professor of information systems at Singapore Management University from 2014 to 2022. Prior to that, he was on the faculty at the School of Computer Engineering at Nanyang Technological University. Hoi holds a bachelor's degree in computer science from Tsinghua University in Beijing and a doctorate in computer science and engineering from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Hoi’s appointment comes at a crucial time for Alibaba. In recent weeks, the company reorganized its AI operations into two distinct divisions: one focusing on consumer-facing AI applications, such as chatbots and search engines, and the other developing AI models and tools for enterprise and developer use. This restructuring reflects Alibaba’s strategic efforts to capitalize on the growing demand for AI-driven consumer products and services, which are rapidly becoming central to the company’s business model.

The decision to hire Hoi also underscores the fierce competition among China's top tech companies to secure the best AI talent. Companies like Alibaba, Tencent, and Baidu are vying not only for local talent but also for qualified specialists from around the world, as China faces a shortage of skilled professionals despite its rapidly growing AI sector. Alibaba's hiring of Hoi is part of a broader initiative to bolster its AI research and development capabilities and stay ahead of international competitors, particularly in the highly competitive field of generative AI.

One of the main areas Hoi will focus on in his new role is the development of multimodal foundation models—AI systems capable of processing various types of data, including text, images, and video. Additionally, he will oversee research into applied solutions that can enhance Alibaba's consumer-facing AI products, as well as AI agents, which can autonomously perform tasks and interact with users. These technologies will be critical to Alibaba's plans to expand its presence in the AI sector both domestically and internationally.

Alibaba's Qwen AI model, which competes with other top generative AI models like DeepSeek's V3 and OpenAI's GPT-4, has already demonstrated success. The company is a strong contender in the AI race, with its Qwen 2.5-Max model recently making headlines for outperforming DeepSeek's V3 in a popular chatbot ranking. Under Hoi's leadership, the company is expected to accelerate the development of new AI technologies, strengthening its market position and expanding its leadership in the industry.

Ultimately, Hoi's appointment is a clear indication of Alibaba's broader commitment to AI as a key component of its future growth. As consumer interest in AI-driven services continues to rise, Alibaba is positioning itself to lead the way in providing cutting-edge, AI-powered products that serve millions of customers globally. Under his direction, Alibaba aims to expand its consumer-focused AI portfolio and compete directly with multinational tech giants in the rapidly evolving AI market. 

                Source Content: CNN News
                Source Image: cdn.cnn.com