Alibaba CEO Eddie Wu spoke on the internal network: We must return to our entrepreneurial roots, adopt a saturation investment approach, and focus on several core battles

Alibaba CEO Eddie Wu posted on the internal forum, calling on all Alibaba employees to return to their original intentions and start a new journey with an entrepreneurial mindset.

On May 9th, as Alibaba Group is about to celebrate its 21st "510 Alibaba Day," CEO Eddie Wu published a post titled "Return to Original Intentions, Restart Entrepreneurship" on the internal network.

In the post, Eddie Wu pointed out that human society is entering a new era brought about by the AI technology revolution, where risks and opportunities coexist. Although Alibaba has accumulated advantages in technology, talent, and resources, the intergenerational innovation of AI may "instantaneously turn past advantages into disadvantages or even shackles."

Therefore, he emphasized that Alibaba must adopt a zero-based mindset, think like a startup, and create opportunities from it; otherwise, it will only face risks.

Focus on Several Core Battles with Saturated Investment Strategy

Regarding future development, Eddie Wu pointed out that the company has actively transformed over the past two years around the strategic main line of "user-first, AI-driven," refocusing and reorganizing business priorities. He stated:

Going forward, the group will adopt a "saturated investment" strategy, focusing on several core battles. These core battles will no longer be the responsibility of a single business department but will involve multiple business parties participating and leveraging their respective advantages and strengths.

More importantly, in strategic formulation, Alibaba will "choose long-term and overall value rather than short-term local value, and formulate collaborative strategies for the group's various businesses based on overall value optimization."

He reviewed Alibaba's history of disruptive innovations, pointing out that these innovations "precisely broke the norm and chose difficult paths that few have taken." At the same time, Eddie Wu emphasized that the AI technology revolution provides opportunities for Alibaba's diverse products and services to generate greater synergy, potentially creating entirely new user experiences and value.

Unchanging Original Intention: Solve Social Problems, Create Customer Value

On the path of restarting entrepreneurship, Eddie Wu emphasized that the only thing that cannot change is Alibaba's original intention: "to help solve social problems, create customer value, and think from the future." He believes this is the foundation that allows Alibaba to traverse cycles and reach its 102nd year.

Eddie Wu admitted that the process of moving into a new era will be a difficult transformation, requiring all Alibaba employees to have the courage to change themselves. The phrase "break through oneself" may not be new, but it is indeed very difficult, requiring both the organization and individuals to "discard path dependence, break organizational inertia, and transcend internal perspectives."

Eddie Wu also mentioned the recently unveiled 1:1 replica of the Lakeside Cabin at the Xixi Campus, which is the starting point of Alibaba's entrepreneurship. He stated that choosing to move it to the global headquarters now is not for nostalgia, but to remind all Alibaba employees that "today, Alibaba is still in entrepreneurship."

The following is the full text of Eddie Wu's internal post "Return to Original Intentions, Restart Entrepreneurship":

Dear Alibaba employees:

Tomorrow marks the 21st 510 Alibaba Day. To commemorate the fight against SARS, we set every 510 as Alibaba Day each year, thanking Alibaba family members for their support and reminding ourselves not to forget why we started.

At this moment, a new era brought by the global technological wave is opening. Alibaba must let go of past achievements, return to its entrepreneurial original intention, and start a new journey with an entrepreneurial mindset The AI technology revolution will bring profound and complex changes to human society, with risks and opportunities coexisting. The technology, talent, and resources accumulated by Alibaba are advantages for the new era, but the intergenerational innovation of AI can instantly turn past advantages into disadvantages or even shackles. We must adopt a mindset of starting from scratch, thinking like a startup, to create opportunities; otherwise, we will only face risks.

In the past two years, the company has actively transformed, refocusing and restructuring priorities around the strategic line of "user-first, AI-driven." Moving forward, the group will adopt a saturated investment approach, focusing on several core battles. These key battles will involve multiple business units, leveraging their respective strengths and advantages. We will choose long-term and holistic value over short-term localized value, formulating collaborative strategies for the group's various businesses based on optimal overall value.

In the process of moving towards a new era, we must have the courage to change ourselves and adapt to change. The phrase "break through oneself" is not new, but it is very difficult and will be a challenging transformation. We cannot be obsessed with past successes; we must discard path dependence, break organizational inertia, and transcend internal perspectives. Historically, Alibaba's disruptive innovations have precisely broken conventions and chosen difficult and less-traveled paths. At the same time, the AI technology revolution also provides opportunities for Alibaba's diverse products and services to generate greater synergy, creating new user experiences and value. How to use AI technology to reshape organizational operations and improve efficiency is also particularly important. We will fully support this through tool assistance, organizational guarantees, and assessment mechanisms, ensuring that changes are not just verbal.

On the path of re-entrepreneurship, the only thing that cannot change is our original intention: to help solve social problems, create customer value, and think from the future. This is the foundation for Alibaba to traverse cycles towards its 102nd year. Taobao, Alipay, Alibaba Cloud... the facts have proven time and again that when we help others solve problems, our own development will not be too poor. A few days ago, we unveiled a 1:1 replica of the Lakeside Cabin at the Xixi Campus. This is the starting point of Alibaba's entrepreneurship; it represents Alibaba's unceasing entrepreneurial spirit and eternal pursuit of innovation. Choosing to move it to the global headquarters now is not for nostalgia, but to remind all of us that today, Alibaba is still in the process of entrepreneurship.

There is no "maintaining the status quo" in Alibaba's genes, only "creation." Alibaba people, return to the original intention and re-entrepreneur