Alibaba's annual Apsara Conference in Hangzhou showcased the company's comprehensive artificial intelligence strategy, revealing a significant shift from developing foundational models to deploying practical, real-world applications. The event drew large crowds of developers, investors, and users, who gathered to see the company's full AI technology stack, from hardware to software agents.
Key Takeaways
- Alibaba's 2025 Apsara Conference emphasized the company's ambition to be a "full-stack AI service provider."
- CEO Eddie Wu Yongming announced new AI infrastructure spending, exceeding the previously stated US$53 billion commitment.
- The conference's focus moved from large language models (LLMs) last year to AI applications and agents this year.
- Companies from various industries demonstrated AI agents built on Alibaba's open-source Qwen family of models.
- The event attracted significant attendance despite challenging weather conditions, indicating strong interest in the technology.
A Strategic Shift from Models to Practical Use
The central theme of this year's Apsara Conference, held in Hangzhou, was the practical implementation of artificial intelligence. This marks a notable evolution from the previous year, where the primary focus was on the development and capabilities of large language models (LLMs).
According to Beijing-based technology analyst Poe Zhao, who attended the event, the industry is moving into a new phase. LLMs are no longer the main attraction but are instead viewed as essential infrastructure, similar to operating systems or cloud computing services.
"My main takeaway was that large language models have sort of become a foundational infrastructure," Zhao stated, highlighting the industry's maturation.
This shift was physically represented in the conference's layout. The 40,000-square-meter exhibition space was divided into three distinct halls, each dedicated to a core component of Alibaba's AI ecosystem: AI hardware, foundational models, and AI applications.
Investment and Market Reaction
The conference began with a significant announcement from Alibaba CEO Eddie Wu Yongming. During his opening speech, Wu committed to increasing the company's investment in AI infrastructure, going beyond the US$53 billion that had been previously promised.
Market Confidence
Following the CEO's announcement of increased AI spending, Alibaba's shares surged to a four-year high, signaling strong investor confidence in the company's strategic direction.
This commitment to expanding its hardware and computational power underscores the company's goal to support a growing ecosystem of AI developers and businesses. The market responded positively to this clear signal of long-term investment in the AI sector.
The Qwen Ecosystem on Display
The AI applications hall was the center of attention for many attendees. Here, various companies demonstrated AI agents they had developed using Alibaba's open-source Qwen models. These agents are AI systems designed to perform tasks autonomously, ranging from customer service to complex data analysis.
The showcase provided tangible examples of how businesses are leveraging Alibaba's technology to create value. By making its Qwen models open-source, Alibaba is encouraging widespread adoption and innovation, allowing developers to build customized solutions for specific industry needs.
What Are AI Agents?
An AI agent is a system that can perceive its environment, make decisions, and take autonomous actions to achieve specific goals. Unlike simple chatbots, agents can execute multi-step tasks, learn from interactions, and operate with a higher degree of independence, making them valuable for automating business processes.
Diverse Industry Applications
The demonstrations at the Apsara Conference covered a wide range of sectors, including:
- E-commerce: AI agents for personalized shopping and inventory management.
- Finance: Automated systems for fraud detection and financial analysis.
- Manufacturing: AI for optimizing supply chains and predictive maintenance.
- Education: Personalized learning assistants and automated content creation tools.
This diversity of applications illustrates the transition of AI from a theoretical concept into a practical tool that is being integrated across the economy.
Strong Public and Industry Interest
The event's success was evident in its high attendance numbers. Despite downpours on the opening day and temperatures reaching 35.5 degrees Celsius, large crowds filled the exhibition halls throughout the three-day conference. The attendees included developers, investors, corporate clients, and even school groups, reflecting broad societal interest in the latest AI developments.
The enthusiasm from such a diverse audience suggests that the conversation around AI is expanding. It is no longer limited to technical experts but now includes business leaders, educators, and the general public, all seeking to understand how this technology will shape their future.
Alibaba's Apsara Conference effectively framed the next stage of AI development in China, moving beyond the model itself to focus on building a robust and accessible ecosystem of practical tools and applications. The company's significant financial commitments and the vibrant developer community on display position it as a key player in the global AI landscape.