Alibaba Cloud Responds to Virtual Digital Human Product Discontinuation
Alibaba Cloud announced the planned sunsetting of its virtual digital human product due to strategic adjustments and product iteration, providing a phased timeline leading to full discontinuation by November 30, 2027. This move highlights the ongoing commercial maturation and strategic shifts within the AI industry, as major cloud providers optimize their product portfolios and redirect users toward mature ecosystem alternatives. Alibaba Cloud will stop accepting new purchases on November 30, 2026, halt renewals on May 31, 2027, and completely shut down all services and console support by November 30, 2027, while recommending alternatives like Ant's Lingjing Digital Human.
## BACKGROUND
Virtual digital humans are computer-generated avatars driven by artificial intelligence technologies, widely deployed across industries for applications such as video broadcasting, business consultation, and customer service guidance. Alibaba Cloud's platform was developed by its Tongyi Laboratory to offer comprehensive end-to-end solutions for enterprise digital transformation.