Jack Ma returns to mainland China

AP): Alibaba founder Jack Ma has resurfaced in China after months of overseas travel, visiting a school Monday in the city where his company is headquartered and discussed topics such as artificial intelligence. Ma founded e-commerce firm Alibaba in the 1990s and was once China’s richest man.

He has kept a low profile with few public appearances since Nov. 2020, when he had publicly criticised China’s regulators and financial systems during a speech in Shanghai.

Shortly afterward, authorities put the brakes on the initial public offering of Alibaba’s financial affiliate Ant Group, which had been set to raise $34.5 billion in what would have been the world’s largest share offering at the time.