Alibaba to launch $15bn 3 year R&D programme

Alibaba has announced a new global research programme called “Alibaba DAMO Academy” or “Academy. It is intended to increase technological collaboration worldwide, advance the development of cutting-edge technology and strive to make the world more inclusive by narrowing the technology gap. With the setup of the Academy, the company expects to invest more than $15 bn in research and development over the next three years.

The “Academy for Discovery, Adventure, Momentum and Outlook,” will oversee the opening of research and development labs worldwide and seek to recruit talented scientists and researchers to join the program. Alibaba Group’s Chief Technology Officer, Jeff Zhang will be the head of the Academy.

In the beginning, the Academy will focus on the opening of seven research labs in China (Beijing and Hangzhou), the United States (San Mateo and Bellevue), Russia (Moscow), Israel (Tel Aviv) and Singapore. The labs will focus on both disruptive technology research including data intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), fintech, quantum computing and human-machine interaction. Within those broad research areas, the labs will focus on topics such as machine learning, network security, visual computing, Natural Language Processing (NLP), etc. In addition, the Academy is currently looking to recruit 100 talented researchers from around the world.

Zhang says: “The Alibaba DAMO Academy will be at the forefront of developing next-generation technology that will spur the growth of Alibaba and our partners. We aim to discover breakthrough technologies that will enable greater efficiency, network security and ecosystem synergy for end-users and businesses everywhere.”

“Over the past 18 years, we have developed a robust technology infrastructure that supports the rapid growth of our business. With our global expansion, we have grown and refined our technology manifold. We are now looking for talented and driven researchers to join us in the quest for new disruptive technologies that would advance our every-day lives, benefit small businesses and narrow the technology gap to make our world a more inclusive place.”