<div id="readability-page-1"><p>Alibaba (BABA) is preparing to report earnings next week on March 19 as investors closely watch its push into artificial intelligence. The company is trying to move beyond its traditional e-commerce business and find new growth through AI.</p><h3>Claim 70% Off TipRanks Premium</h3><ul><li>Unlock  hedge fund-level data  and  powerful investing tools  for smarter, sharper decisions  </li><li> Stay ahead of the market with  the latest news and analysis  and maximize your portfolio's potential</li></ul> <p>However, its efforts have recently faced some leadership challenges. Alibaba saw the departure of Lin Junyang, the technical lead widely seen as the face of its Qwen AI model. His exit, along with a few other senior Qwen leaders leaving this year, has raised questions about the stability of Alibaba's AI division.</p> <h2><strong>Alibaba Responds to Leadership Changes</strong></h2> <p>To show that AI remains a top priority, CEO Eddie Wu has stepped in directly. He has created a new &#34;Foundation Model Task Force,&#34; which includes the Group CTO and the Cloud CTO. By taking a more direct role, Alibaba is signaling that its AI strategy remains a key focus for the company.</p> <p>At the same time, Alibaba has rejected reports of a wider talent exodus. The company recently hired Zhou Hao, a former Google DeepMind scientist, to lead research on improving its AI models.<strong></strong></p> <h2><strong>Qwen Is Seeing Rapid Adoption</strong></h2> <p>Despite the leadership shakeup, the numbers show that Qwen is gaining traction with users. The Qwen mobile app saw a sharp jump in users—from 31 million in January to about 203 million in February.</p> <p>The company is also adding AI tools to major services such as Taobao and Alipay, which could help expand adoption across its ecosystem.</p> <h2><strong>What Lies Ahead for Alibaba</strong><strong></strong></h2> <p>All eyes are now on March 19, 2026, when Alibaba will report its fiscal third-quarter 2026 financial results. Wall Street analysts expect earnings of $1.72 per share, down from $3.09 in the year-ago quarter. Revenue is projected at about $41.96 billion, representing an 8% year-over-year increase.</p></div>

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<p>Alibaba (BABA) is set to report earnings on March 19, focusing on its AI initiatives amid leadership changes, including the departure of key figures from its Qwen AI model. CEO Eddie Wu has formed a new task force to emphasize AI's importance. Despite these challenges, Qwen's user base surged from 31 million to 203 million in February, and AI tools are being integrated into services like Taobao and Alipay. Analysts predict earnings of $1.72 per share and revenue of $41.96 billion, an 8% increase year-over-year.</p>

- Alibaba is set to report fiscal third-quarter earnings on March 19, focusing on its AI initiatives as it seeks growth beyond e-commerce.  
- The company faces leadership challenges following the departure of key figures in its AI division but has established a new task force to emphasize its commitment to AI.  
- Despite the turmoil, the Qwen app has seen significant user growth, with projections for earnings of $1.72 per share and revenue of approximately $41.96 billion, an 8% increase from the previous year.

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Alibaba (BABA) Faces AI Leadership Shakeup Ahead of Earnings. Can Qwen's Growth Drive the Stock?