Jack Ma Returns as China Pushes AI Dominance Amid US Rivalry

Jack Ma, the flamboyant founder of Alibaba, has re-emerged in Beijing's good graces after a 2020 fall from favor. His return underscores China's strategic pivot to dominate artificial intelligence (AI) and outpace the US in the global tech race.

From 'Crazy Jack' to Cautious Comeback

• Ma earned his nickname for Alibaba's unconventional culture, but his 2020 criticism of Chinese regulators led to a crackdown.
• In February, he appeared alongside President Xi Jinping in a symbolic gesture of rehabilitation, signaling a thaw in relations.

China's AI-Driven Geopolitical Strategy

• Xi views AI as a critical battleground in the US-China rivalry, akin to the Cold War space race.
• Alibaba, a global AI leader, is investing $53 billion over three years in cloud computing and AI infrastructure.
• The company's open-source AI models, like Tongyi Qianwen, are gaining traction globally, with several ranking among the top 10 on Hugging Face.

Open Source vs. Ideological Control

• Alibaba's open-source approach contrasts with US rivals, but concerns linger about Chinese censorship embedded in AI algorithms.
• Professor Di Dongsheng argues that AI models reflect ideological values, framing the competition as a struggle for global influence.

Global Pushback

• The Trump administration and US lawmakers are scrutinizing Apple's deal with Alibaba over national security risks.
• Critics fear Chinese AI tools could export censorship limits to Western markets.

"Jack is back, though he is still kind of on mute," says China expert Duncan Clark, noting Ma's subdued role amid Alibaba's AI push.

For Ma, rehabilitation comes with challenges: as Alibaba expands globally, its AI ambitions face growing skepticism abroad.