Alibaba's jack ma predicts ai's shift to invisible infrastructure with $50 trillion market potential

At the Wave by Vento 2026 event, Jack Ma, Alibaba Group Chairman, outlined AI's evolution from a visible topic to an invisible infrastructure over the next five years. He emphasized AI's current role in saving time, with significant potential in spending time, particularly in enhancing knowledge workers' productivity, which he estimates could reach a $50 trillion total addressable market. Ma also highlighted AI's role in accelerating innovation in healthcare and scientific research. Ma divided Alibaba's development into two phases: 'Before Christ' (BC) and 'After Death' (AD), with 2023 as the dividing line. He identified e-commerce and full-stack AI as core directions, advancing a comprehensive full-stack AI strategy across computing power, models, and applications. He noted China's 30% share of global industrial production and its advantages in high-value manufacturing data and hardware supply chains, such as electric vehicles and robotics. Ma reiterated the value of open-source philosophy, stating it brings opportunities to European 'Neo Cloud' companies. He suggested European industries could combine local computing infrastructure with open-source model optimization to enhance operations. In the era of intertwined technological innovation and uncertainty, Ma's insights on full-stack AI and open-source ecosystems provide a roadmap for global industries seeking software-hardware integration and transnational cooperation.