Alibaba's AI Cancer Tool Gains FDA 'Breakthrough' Status, Outperforms Radiologists in Pancreatic Cancer Detection
April 21, 2025
In related news, Alibaba's Quark AI app has surpassed ByteDance's Doubao, achieving 150 million monthly users as of March 2025.
Investor Chamath Palihapitiya has criticized Nvidia for allegedly undermining U.S. interests by bypassing export controls, amid reports of increased orders for Nvidia AI chips from Chinese companies.
The AI tool has already been trialed in China, screening 40,000 individuals at a hospital in Ningbo, where it identified six early-stage pancreatic cancer cases, including two that were missed by standard examinations.
In a broader context, former Alphabet CEO Eric Schmidt has warned that China's increased AI spending could enable it to surpass the U.S. in AI development unless the U.S. increases its investment.
As of today, Alibaba's stock is up 0.25%, trading at $109.14 in premarket activity.
Alibaba's research arm, Damo Academy, has received FDA approval for its AI-powered cancer detection tool, Damo Panda, which has been designated as a 'breakthrough device'.
A study published in Nature Medicine revealed that Damo Panda's sensitivity rate is 34.1% higher than that of radiologists when analyzing CT scans from 3,208 pancreatic cancer patients.
This 'breakthrough device' designation allows for a faster review and approval process, facilitating Alibaba's expansion into global healthcare markets.
Damo Panda, introduced in November 2023, is specifically designed to detect pancreatic cancer in asymptomatic patients.
The successful real-world application of Damo Panda underscores the potential of AI technology in enhancing healthcare diagnostics.
Damo Academy, established in 2017, focuses on artificial intelligence and RISC-V open-source chip architecture, contributing to advancements in the field.
Overall, the advancements represented by Damo Panda highlight the significant role of AI in transforming healthcare diagnostics.
Summary based on 3 sources
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Sources

South China Morning Post • Apr 20, 2025
Alibaba’s AI cancer detection tool clears FDA hurdle for faster approval process
NewsBytes • Apr 21, 2025
Alibaba's AI-driven cancer-detection tool gets FDA approval: Why it matters