Alibaba’s Tongyi Lab, celebrated for its open-source Qwen AI models, is facing a notable shakeup as some of its leading AI professionals head off to rival companies. Key players like Yan Zhijie and Bo Liefeng are now with JD.com and Tencent, respectively—a trend that highlights the intense competition in China’s tech scene.
Yan, a stalwart at Alibaba since 2015 and initially part of the innovative Damo Academy, played a crucial role leading the speech lab at Tongyi. His departure in February saw him pivot to JD.com’s Explore Academy, a division put in place back in 2020 to drive fresh breakthroughs. Although JD.com hasn’t offered direct comments on his move, they’re clearly prioritising the recruitment of top AI talent across the board.
Following a brief engagement with Tencent, Yan exited amid internal shifts, and Li Xiangang—co-founder of 01.AI—stepped in to assume his former responsibilities in June. Similarly, Bo Liefeng, who once steered Tongyi’s applied vision division, has transitioned to join Tencent’s Hunyuan AI model team. If you’ve ever found yourself navigating the complexities of tech recruitment, this pattern underlines just how dynamic (and competitive) the market has become.
As companies continue to vie for the brightest minds in AI, keeping an eye on these shifts can offer valuable insights into where innovation and leadership are headed.
