Alibaba expects to invest more than US$15 billion in research and development over the next three years. The expanded R&D efforts includes the launch of a new Alibaba Academy for Discovery, Adventure, Momentum and Outlook (DAMI) which will focus on cutting-edge technologies such as machine learning, network security, visual computing, Natural Language Processing. The academy plans to open seven research labs in China (Beijing and Hangzhou), the United States (San Mateo and Bellevue), Russia (Moscow), Israel (Tel Aviv) and Singapore.
Alibaba Group’s Chief Technology Officer, Jeff ZHANG will be the head of the Academy.
“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,” said Jeff ZHANG.
The Academy will set up an advisory board of globally renowned educators and researchers, including:
- Avi Wigderson, Professor of Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton
- George Church, Professor of Harvard University and Professor of Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Henry M. Levy, Professor and Director of the School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington
- Hong MEI, Professor and Vice President of Beijing Institute of Technology
- Jeannette Wing, Director of the Data Science Institute, Professor of Computer Science, Columbia University
- Kai LI, Professor of Princeton University
- Michael I. Jordan, Professor of University of California, Berkeley
- Ru HUANG, Professor and Dean of School of Electronics Engineering and Computer Science, Peking University
- Wen GAO, Professor and Dean of Faculty of Information and Engineering Sciences, Peking University
- Zhaohui WU, President, Zhejiang University