Alibaba (BABA) stock is gaining traction in pre-market trading as the company makes moves in both AI hardware and autonomous delivery. Together, the developments point to a broader effort to rely more on in-house technology, spanning cloud computing and logistics.
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Alibaba’s Push into In-House AI Chips
Alibaba is stepping further into the AI hardware race, revealing a new in-house processor that could narrow the gap with Nvidia’s data-center chips.
The chip, called Zhenwu 810E, was developed by Alibaba’s semiconductor unit T-Head and recently appeared on the company’s website. While Alibaba has not shared full performance details, the move shows the company is taking a bigger role in building its own AI hardware to support its cloud services and models.
Industry watchers say the processor is aimed at performance levels closer to Nvidia’s (NVDA) A800- and A100-class chips, which are widely used for AI workloads.
The development comes as Chinese tech firms look to rely less on foreign suppliers amid tighter access to advanced chips. By designing its own chips, Alibaba can also better tailor hardware to its AI models and cloud services, while reducing dependence on external suppliers.
Alibaba Expands Autonomous Delivery Push
In another development, Alibaba is moving to deepen its presence in autonomous logistics.
According to a Wall Street Journal report, Alibaba’s logistics arm plans to merge its autonomous-driving unit with Chinese robovan maker Zelos Technology, forming a new entity valued at around $2 billion.
Under the deal, Alibaba would take a stake in Zelos, which would run the combined business. Cainiao’s autonomous-vehicle unit would be merged with Zelos, creating a new entity expected to operate as Cainiao Robovan. The new company would manage a fleet of more than 20,000 robovans, and a Cainiao executive is expected to join Zelos’s board.
Founded in 2021, Zelos focuses on autonomous delivery across postal services, fast-moving consumer goods, and express logistics. The move highlights Alibaba’s broader push to use automation to cut costs and improve efficiency across its delivery network.
Is BABA Stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell?
On TipRanks, BABA stock has a Strong Buy consensus rating based on 14 unanimous Buys. The average Alibaba price target of $203.09 implies 18.51% upside potential from current levels. BABA stock has surged nearly 90% over the past year.
