Jack Ma has re-emerged at the center of Alibaba Group (NYSE:BABA) as the company intensifies its push into artificial intelligence and revives competition with JD.com (NASDAQ:JD) and Meituan (OTC:MPNGY).
After years on the sidelines during Beijing’s sweeping crackdown on technology firms, Ma is now more directly shaping corporate strategy. Bloomberg reported Tuesday that internally, the comeback effort has been branded “Make Alibaba Great Again.”
Ma largely retreated from public view in late 2020 following a speech critical of regulators that led to the abrupt suspension of Ant Group’s blockbuster initial public offering.
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His absence coincided with Beijing’s clampdown on the sector. In 2021, Chinese regulators imposed a record 18.2 billion yuan ($2.7 billion) fine on Alibaba for antitrust violations, accounting for most of the 23.6 billion yuan in total industry penalties. Authorities accused Alibaba and Meituan of forcing merchants into exclusive contracts, with the two firms together representing 92% of all fines issued that year.
By 2023, Ma had returned to Alibaba’s campuses, re-engaging with executives and pressing for updates on artificial intelligence initiatives. He has personally spearheaded major strategic moves, including a 50 billion yuan ($7 billion) subsidy program designed to counter JD.com’s aggressive market expansion.
Ma has directed senior leaders Eddie Wu, Joe Tsai, and Jiang Fan to prioritize investment in AI and cloud services, cementing Alibaba’s pivot toward emerging technologies.
The commitment is substantial. In February, Alibaba allocated more than 380 billion yuan to AI and cloud infrastructure over a three-year period.
That investment is already bearing fruit: cloud revenue grew 26% in a single quarter, the fastest pace in years. The company’s renewed momentum has been reflected in its stock performance, with shares climbing nearly 90% year-to-date, far outpacing the NYSE Composite Index’s 12% gain.
Ma’s influence extends beyond technology. He has also reasserted himself in Alibaba’s core e-commerce unit. After the company’s market share slipped under former chief executive Daniel Zhang, Ma backed a leadership reshuffle that installed Jiang Fan to oversee a unified commerce division spanning food delivery, logistics, and travel services. The strategy has begun to restore Alibaba’s position in food delivery, where it now commands a 43% share against Meituan’s 47%.
Price Action: BABA stock is trading higher by 0.27% to $158.47 premarket at last check Tuesday.
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