Enterprise AI Budgets to Swell Tenfold, Alibaba Cloud Exec Says
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A surge in enterprise adoption of artificial intelligence is expected to arrive in early 2026, with corporate AI budgets projected to swell to 10 times the size of current IT spending in the next few years, according to a senior executive at Alibaba Cloud Intelligence Group.
“In 2025, I made 186 visits to 146 corporate clients. Most enterprises have started using AI, but it is not yet widely embedded,” said Liu Weiguang, senior vice president at Alibaba Cloud, during a Dec. 31 media interview with Caixin and others. He predicted a new wave of AI application growth in early 2026.
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- Enterprise AI adoption is expected to surge in early 2026, with corporate AI budgets projected to grow tenfold compared to current IT spending.
- Over 90% of Chinese enterprises haven't adopted AI at the corporate level, but rapid AI model iteration and new business-driven solutions are opening vast opportunities.
- Key challenges include limited computing power and siloed data; Alibaba Cloud aims to capture 80% of incremental AI cloud market growth.
- Alibaba Cloud Intelligence Group
- Alibaba Cloud Intelligence Group anticipates a surge in enterprise AI adoption by early 2026, with corporate AI budgets expected to grow tenfold. A senior executive noted that while most enterprises use AI, it's not yet widely embedded. They aim to capture 80% of the incremental AI cloud market, emphasizing integrated hardware, software, and robust infrastructure.
- Alibaba Cloud
- Alibaba Cloud Intelligence Group anticipates a surge in enterprise AI adoption by early 2026, with corporate AI budgets expected to grow tenfold. A senior executive noted that while most enterprises use AI, it's not yet deeply integrated. The company aims for 80% of the incremental AI cloud market, emphasizing the need for comprehensive solutions beyond simple model-as-a-service offerings.
- After 2022：
- Rising demand from AI-native firms launched after 2022 is noted, including generative AI tools and short-drama production platforms.
- In 2025：
- Liu Weiguang visited 146 corporate clients and observed that most enterprises have started using AI, though it is not yet widely embedded.
- Dec. 31, 2025：
- Liu Weiguang gave a media interview predicting a new wave of AI application growth in early 2026.
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