Alibaba executive sees ‘explosive growth’ in AI applications in China in 2025

A four-day AI fair hosted by Alibaba Cloud in Beijing offers visitors a glimpse of the future

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Liu Weiguang, a senior vice-president at Alibaba Cloud, speaks on stage during a company event on Wednesday. Photo: Ben Jiang

Published: 6:00pm, 9 Apr 2025

Artificial intelligence (AI) applications are poised for “explosive growth” in China this year, according to an executive at Alibaba Group Holding, as the tech giant focuses on real-world AI implementation.

AI models’ growing capabilities “have created new opportunities for AI applications”, said Liu Weiguang, senior vice-president of Alibaba’s cloud computing unit, at an event hosted by the company in Beijing, which began on Wednesday.

The four-day Alibaba Cloud AI Dynamics fair has drawn dozens of exhibitors showcasing their latest AI-empowered products. One of the most popular booths belonged to Robam Appliances, a cooking equipment maker whose “AI-powered” kitchen devices captivated visitors. A range hood automatically adjusted the extractor fan’s speed, while a steam oven modified cooking times by “looking” at the ingredients.

China’s advancements in open-source models, led by start-up DeepSeek, have sparked a wave of AI adoption. Alibaba, owner of the South China Morning Post, is among several Chinese tech giants providing foundational models and solutions to facilitate AI applications across various sectors.

An AI-powered chair from Chinese ergonomics chair maker Sihoo. Photo: Ben Jiang

While China still trails the US in model capabilities, its strength lies in AI applications. Alibaba Cloud’s event showed how AI can be used in everything from eyeglasses to cars, video gaming, education, office solutions and robotics, giving hundreds of visitors a glimpse of the future.