2026-03-04
Qwen delivered the best open-source models across sizes and modalities, for both academia and industry. And the response? Replace the excellent leader with a non-core people from Google Gemini, driven by DAU metrics. If you judge foundation model teams like consumer apps, don't
TechCrunch
Junyang Lin, a tech lead on Alibaba's Qwen team, abruptly steps down, and two other team members leave; one contributor says “I know leaving wasn't your choice”
Alibaba's Qwen AI project has lost one of its most visible technical leaders just a day after the Chinese tech giant unveiled its new Qwen 3.5 open-weight small models.