Inside Alibaba’s DAMO Academy: Building a Global Research Powerhouse

DAMO Academy Overview

At the 2017 Hangzhou Cloud Expo, Alibaba Chairman Jack Ma announced the creation of the DAMO Academy, a research institute named after the legendary Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The name was chosen spontaneously during a phone call with the company’s chief human‑resources officer.

Research Strategy and Investment

Ma emphasized that the Academy should learn from IBM, Microsoft, and Bell Labs but forge its own path. Alibaba pledged to invest 100 billion yuan over three years, covering basic science and disruptive technology research.

The Academy’s mission is to combine commercial goals with scientific inquiry, ensuring that research outcomes generate profit and enjoyment.

Global Expansion and Talent

To realize the “NASA” plan, Alibaba is establishing DAMO research centers worldwide—Asia, America, Europe—and recruiting top talent, including AI experts, quantum scientists, and engineers from leading universities and companies.

By 2020, the Academy aims to host more than 20,000 researchers and engineers, with labs in Beijing, Hangzhou, Singapore, Israel, the United States, and Russia.

Research Areas and Partnerships

The Academy focuses on 13 core fields: quantum computing, machine learning, foundational algorithms, network security, visual computing, natural language processing, next‑generation human‑machine interaction, chip technology, sensor technology, embedded systems, and related applications in finance, logistics, and entertainment.

It collaborates with top universities (e.g., Tsinghua, UC Berkeley) and launches global open research projects through the Alibaba Innovation Research (AIR) program, selecting outstanding proposals from hundreds of institutions.

Funding Model and Management

Funding is allocated mainly to talent acquisition, research facilities, and the establishment of joint labs. The Academy operates under a dean‑responsible system, emphasizing market‑driven research that can be productized via Alibaba Cloud.

Jack Ma stresses that the Academy must not rely solely on academic papers; at least 90 % of its work should have commercial impact to sustain long‑term growth.