<div id="readability-page-1"><blockquote><ul><li>Yang Sheng, a former algorithm expert at Alibaba's DAMO Academy, has joined Nio for research on cutting-edge architecture and algorithm.</li><li>Yang previously served as director of Alibaba's autonomous driving lab and launched the Robovan project for Cainiao, Alibaba's logistics subsidiary.</li></ul></blockquote><figure id="attachment_135886"><img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cdn.cnevpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2026012711310840.jpg?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="1600" height="900" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cdn.cnevpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2026012711310840.jpg"/><figcaption id="caption-attachment-135886">(Nio logo. Image credit: CnEVPost)</figcaption></figure><p>Nio Inc (NYSE: NIO, HKG: 9866) is increasing its AI (artificial intelligence) investments this year, with talent recruitment already underway.</p><p>Yang Sheng, a former algorithm expert at Alibaba's DAMO Academy, has joined Nio's smart driving team, according to a report by local media outlet Yiou on Tuesday.</p><p>Yang will work closely with Ren Shaoqing, Nio's vice president and chief expert of smart driving R&amp;D, focusing on cutting-edge autonomous driving architecture and algorithm research, the report cited sources as saying.</p>    <div>        <p><span>Join us on </span>            Telegram            <span> or </span>            Google News        </p>    </div><p>Yang will primarily lead the preliminary research on AI large language foundation models for smart driving as a senior expert, reporting directly to Ren, according to the report.</p><p>He earned his bachelor's degree from Wuhan University and his master's and doctoral degrees from Tsinghua University. After completing his PhD in 2019, Yang began his career journey at Alibaba.</p><p>Prior to joining Nio, Yang served as director of Alibaba's autonomous driving lab, deploying architectural solutions to level 4 autonomous vehicles and launching the Robovan project for Cainiao, the e-commerce giant's logistics subsidiary.</p><p>The establishment of the smart driving foundation model research team and Yang's appointment demonstrate Nio's commitment and execution strength in smart driving and the AI industry, the report noted.</p><p>With the rapid global advancement of AI, Nio has also intensified its focus on this field this year.</p><p>Nio founder, chairman, and CEO William Li told employees at an internal meeting on January 14 that AI will not only power the company's smart driving systems but also enhance efficiency across R&amp;D, manufacturing, supply chain, finance, and HR operations.</p><p>He said that Nio had formed an AGI committee tasked with driving AI adoption across all business chains.</p><p>Regarding smart driving R&amp;D, preliminary research serves as the initial exploration of new technologies, aiming to refine uncertain technical paths into concrete solutions, Yiou noted.</p><p>While advancing preliminary research, Nio is also accelerating the deployment of its smart driving capabilities.</p><p>Li said on January 14 that Nio will significantly increase investments in smart driving computing power this year, aiming to regain its industry-leading position through three major software releases.</p><p>Earlier today, Ma Lin, Nio's assistant vice president of branding and communications, announced on Weibo that the company will begin rolling out the Banyan 3.3.0 system to Chinese models starting January 28. This update will deliver an enhanced smart driving experience powered by the Nio World Model and reinforcement learning.</p>    <div>        <div>            <p><img width="768" height="432" src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cdn.cnevpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2026011902435527-768x432.jpg?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cdn.cnevpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2026011902435527-768x432.jpg"/>                            </p>        </div>        <div>            <p>AI is reshaping everything: How do Nio, Xpeng, and Li Auto differ in their approaches?</p>            <p>China's EV trio is betting big on AI, but their approaches differ significantly.</p>                    </div>    </div>                                                                                    </div>

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<p>Nio has appointed Yang Sheng, a former algorithm expert from Alibaba, to enhance its AI initiatives, particularly in smart driving research. Yang will lead the development of AI large language foundation models and collaborate with Nio's VP of smart driving R&D. This move reflects Nio's commitment to advancing its AI capabilities, with plans for significant investments in smart driving technology and upcoming software releases aimed at improving efficiency across various operations. Nio's founder emphasized the importance of AI in driving systems and overall business processes.</p>

- Yang Sheng has joined Nio's smart driving team as a senior expert, focusing on autonomous driving architecture and large language models for AI.  
- Nio has increased investments in AI, with plans to enhance smart driving systems and accelerate research and deployment efforts.  
- The establishment of a smart driving foundation model research team and upcoming software releases signify Nio's commitment to regaining its industry-leading position in the autonomous driving sector.

Nio brings in former Alibaba exec as part of efforts to ramp up AI push