Alibaba's AI Leader Joins ByteDance with High Salary
date
Dec 8, 2024
damn
language
en
status
Published
type
News
image
https://www.ai-damn.com/1733675604422-202310311416147098_0.jpg
slug
alibaba-s-ai-leader-joins-bytedance-with-high-salary-1733675694339
tags
ByteDance
Alibaba
AI
Zhou Chang
Tech Industry
summary
Zhou Chang, a prominent figure in Alibaba's AI development, has reportedly moved to ByteDance for an annual salary exceeding eight figures. This transition marks a significant shift in the competitive landscape of AI technology between the two companies.
Alibaba's AI Leader Joins ByteDance with High Salary
According to reports from the Guangzhou Daily, on December 6, 2024, news emerged that ByteDance has successfully hired Zhou Chang, a key talent behind Alibaba's AI model initiatives, offering him an annual salary exceeding eight figures. This announcement quickly generated discussions across various social media platforms.
Zhou, who previously served as the head of the "Tongyi Qianwen" large model technology at Alibaba, announced his resignation on July 18, 2024, intending to pursue entrepreneurial ventures. However, just two months later, it was revealed that he had joined ByteDance.
ByteDance has confirmed Zhou's relocation, indicating that his move was not solitary; over ten members from his team at Alibaba have also made the transition to ByteDance. Reports from Yicai suggest that Zhou received a compelling offer from ByteDance, securing a position at level 4-2, which entails a significant salary increase—effectively jumping two levels in Alibaba's ranking system. His team members were similarly assigned to levels 4-1 and 3-2, which align with Alibaba's P10 and P9 levels, respectively.
Zhou Chang had been part of Alibaba's DAMO Academy since 2020, where he led the development of a multimodal large model known as M6. In 2023, in response to the rising popularity of ChatGPT, his team developed the "Tongyi Qianwen" model based on M6. This model has since become integral to Alibaba's Tongyi series of AI products, establishing Zhou as a leading expert in Alibaba’s large model technologies.
Zhou's departure represents a significant challenge for Alibaba, particularly as the importance of AI technology continues to grow. This transition highlights ByteDance's ambitions to expand its influence in the AI sector and intensifies competition between the two tech giants.
The implications of this move are substantial, as it not only reflects ByteDance's strategic growth objectives but also raises questions about Alibaba's future in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Industry analysts are closely monitoring these developments, as they could reshape the competitive dynamics of AI technology in the region.
Key Points
- Zhou Chang, a prominent AI figure from Alibaba, has joined ByteDance.
- He received an annual salary offer exceeding eight figures.
- Zhou's move includes over ten team members from Alibaba.
- His departure is a significant loss for Alibaba amid growing AI competition.
- The transition signifies ByteDance's strategic ambitions in the AI field.