Ma Yun Photo: VCG

Alibaba Group founder Jack Ma Yun made a rare appearance at an event held by the company's research arm in Hangzhou city, East China's Zhejiang Province on Saturday.

The final round of Alibaba Global Mathematics Competition was being held in Hangzhou. Prior to being present at the event, Ma spent time interacting with the contestants and the tutors, according to a press release by the Damo Academy, affiliated to Alibaba Group.

The rare appearance came following Jack Ma's visiting Yungu School on March 27, a private school funded d by Alibaba partners which is based in Hangzhou city.

During the visit, Ma shared his perspective on ChatGPT, saying that the past industrial era was knowledge-driven and the contest was largely a competition for knowledge, while the digital era is wisdom-driven, evolving competition of creation and imagination.  

It's reported that Ma's current "work and life" have been focused on Hangzhou and Hong Kong, in the fields of education, agriculture, corporate changes and technological innovations.

Earlier this year, Ma was invited to become a visiting professor at Tokyo College, a new organization run by University of Tokyo. In addition, he has accepted a position as an honorary professor at the University of Hong Kong for three years.