Ex-Alibaba builder ran FDE AI projects across a dozen industries—then concluded the model doesn't work
lipeng0820 · x · 2026-11-03
A former Alibaba employee built an FDE team and delivered AI transformation projects across a dozen industries—healthcare, manufacturing, e-commerce—covering the full stack from data middleware to CRM, only to conclude the FDE model "simply doesn't work right now." The team is pivoting.
- FDE requires clients with real digital infrastructure and internal AI consensus; it can't be forced in from outside
- In a downturn, companies know AI is useful but have no budget, and collecting final payments is painfully hard
His advice to peers: stop believing "AI fixes everything"—check whether the client has the foundation and the budget first. The reposter is openly skeptical, arguing AI remains a toy rather than a tool.
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