Alibaba Cloud's decision to open-source its Qwen large language model, as highlighted in a CNBC article, is seen as a move to democratize AI technology. By making advanced AI training infrastructure more accessible, the company helps reduce concentration of power in the tech sector, promoting transparency and innovation against authoritarian tendencies.

Allegations have surfaced linking Alibaba, part of the Alibaba Group to which Alibaba Cloud belongs, to the deployment of facial recognition software targeting ethnic minorities and to oversight issues on its e-commerce platforms. These actions raise concerns about its commitment to ethical business practices and human rights.

Alibaba is introducing a new employee incentive plan to combine long-term cash with stock options to better support employee retention amid challenging market conditions. The move aims to improve compensation certainty and liquidity for employees, though its effectiveness in ensuring broader labor rights remains to be seen.

On May 25, 2023, Alibaba Cloud announced a 7% cut in its cloud unit's workforce as part of a major reorganization plan in anticipation of a spinoff and initial public offering. This decision raises concerns regarding the company’s commitment to protecting labor rights and fair human resource practices.

On May 24, 2023, Alibaba Cloud laid off 7,000 employees as part of its operational restructuring in preparation for an IPO and to address revenue declines. This move has raised concerns from an anti‑fascist perspective, as such large-scale layoffs can undermine worker rights and weaken labor solidarity, potentially exacerbating economic inequality and enabling authoritarian corporate practices.

A report reveals that Alibaba Group has spent millions through lobbying firms and donations to political campaigns, largely supporting the Democratic Party. While this alignment with progressive causes might be seen as opposing authoritarianism, the corporate use of financial influence in political processes still raises concerns about undue interference in democratic policy-making.

Alibaba Cloud has been implicated in a broad campaign of political lobbying, campaign contributions, and media sponsorships in the US. The company's activities—including spending over $2.2 million on lobbying efforts, hiring former government officials, and sponsoring influential news outlets—raise alarms about corporate influence in politics, potential conflicts of interest, and national security risks in an era of heightened authoritarian tendencies.

The article details Alibaba’s extensive use of lobbying firms, political donations and media sponsorships in the United States. The company's strategy of engaging numerous ex-government officials and channeling millions through lobbyists and donations – while also sponsoring news outlets – raises questions about its influence on US policy and potential complicity in subverting democratic accountability.

Alibaba Cloud implemented a facial recognition service that enables detection of Uyghurs, effectively contributing to ethnic profiling and potentially aiding in their repression. The service was reportedly deployed commercially in China, and although later removed from public-facing platforms, its existence raises serious concerns about unethical business practices and the provision of repressive technology.

In December 2020, Alibaba Cloud faced scrutiny after research revealed that a trial facial recognition algorithm developed by the company was capable of detecting a person's ethnicity, including identifying Uyghur Muslims. Although Alibaba later disavowed and removed the ethnic tagging, the incident raised serious concerns about ethical oversight and the potential for technology to facilitate discriminatory profiling.

A report reveals that Alibaba Cloud's facial recognition technology, although reportedly confined to testing, has capabilities to specifically detect Uighur individuals. This raises serious concerns about the use of repressive technologies that could support state surveillance and human rights abuses.