Alibaba

Alibaba, founded in 1999 by Chinese entrepreneur Jack Ma, is one of the most prominent global e-commerce companies that operates platforms like AliExpress, Taobao, and Tmall.

Featured Author

Viola Zhou

Viola Zhou is a reporter for Rest of World covering China's tech scene. She is based in New York City.

Viola Zhou has written 9 articles about Alibaba.

Latest Story

A person stands next to oversized sunglasses, with reflections of a busy street scene featuring colorful signs.

Innovation 27 March 2026

AI glasses are catching on in China, from shopping to cheating

Highlighted Stories

Features 2 September 2025

My mom and Dr. DeepSeek

Latest Stories

A line of men in suits waiting as a hand opens a red exit door labeled "EXIT" against a dark purple background.

Tech Giants 29 April 2026

The quiet layoffs sweeping China’s tech giants

Alibaba reduced its head count by a third in 2025, while Baidu’s workforce declined nearly 7%. “There’s constant churn,” a Chinese tech worker said.

By Kinling Lo

Innovation 27 March 2026

AI glasses are catching on in China, from shopping to cheating

Early adopters are renting AI glasses for $6 a day for navigation, translation, and school exams.

By Viola Zhou

A young woman with long black hair is speaking, with a background of pink flowers and lanterns.

Global Dispatch 13 February 2026

I let Alibaba’s AI agent plan my holiday. I ended up doing more work

For reassurance, experimentation, and low-pressure decisions, AI agents can feel helpful. For bigger choices, I still trust myself more.

By Kinling Lo

A golden horse statue stands on coins, flanked by smartphones displaying icons and a red speech bubble.

Innovation 5 February 2026

Free boba and “red envelopes”: China’s AI giants launch marketing blitz for Lunar New Year

Alibaba, Tencent, and Baidu pledge millions and race to release new models before the holiday—fearing a new "DeepSeek shock" might steal the spotlight.

By Viola Zhou

A vibrant pink lobster with large claws against a bold orange square and a blue dotted background.

Innovation 30 January 2026

AI agent Moltbot makes waves in China and Silicon Valley

Chinese hyperscalers are selling special server packages to attract early adopters eager to test the latest AI agent–now known as OpenClaw.

By Viola Zhou

Ideas 2 December 2025

Will DeepSeek’s new model spark another global AI shake-up in 2026?

DeepSeek’s R2 launch was likely delayed by limited access to compute, but a new model is on its way, intensifying the AI rivalry between the U.S. and China.

By Paul Triolo

A digital illustration showing a man sitting in a chair, looking at a large screen displaying a ghostly figure with a glowing head and arms holding a tablet. The background features pixelated elements dispersing from the screen, creating a sense of digital interaction, with a modern living room setting, including a table with a lamp and a sofa.

Features 2 September 2025

My mom and Dr. DeepSeek

In China and around the world, the sick and lonely turn to AI.

By Viola Zhou

Three workers in hard hats and blue vests are handling a large microchip that displays the flag of China, set against a background of digital circuit patterns.

Innovation 1 September 2025

China’s chip startups are racing to replace Nvidia

Tapping investor interest and ex-Nvidia talent, China’s AI chipmakers are seizing openings created by U.S. export controls.

By Viola Zhou

A magnifying glass focuses on a blue whale icon set against a colorful abstract background featuring shapes and patterns in blue and orange tones.

Innovation 14 April 2025

DeepSeek and chip bans have supercharged AI innovation in China

Investors believe practical AI applications will fuel the next wave of growth, with startups building on top of DeepSeek’s foundation.

By Kinling Lo and Tiffany Ap

An illustration of hot air balloons in the sky. The larger balloon at the centre has a China flag theme, the smaller balloons below have U.S stripes and stars on them.

The Rise of AI 23 September 2024

China’s biggest AI model is challenging American dominance

Alibaba’s Qwen has been shining on benchmark tests, despite chip restrictions.

By Sam Eifling

A photograph of President of Alibaba.com, Kuo Zhang, wearing a blue suit and blue dress shirt, seating at a table in an ornate room.

Q & A 11 September 2024

Alibaba.com’s U.S. expansion hinges on wooing mom-and-pop shops

President Kuo Zhang tells Rest of World in an exclusive interview that the company is bullish about the U.S. market.

By Viola Zhou

A photograph showing a man using his cell phone to scan packages being held by another individual.

China Outside China 25 July 2024

Why Mexico’s delivery workers are ditching food for packages

By Daniela Dib