Li Auto president Ma Donghui has taken on a new role as the head of smart car strategy, allowing CEO Li Xiang to shift his focus towards artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives. This move comes as Li Auto aims to establish itself as a leading global AI company by 2030.
Following the Chinese New Year holiday break in 2025, Li Auto made changes to its management structure, with Ma Donghui assuming responsibility for planning and executing strategies related to the automotive business. According to reports from local media outlet 21jingji, Ma has taken over the role of the “production, supply, and sales joint committee,” while Li Xiang remains a member of the committee and will contribute to decisions related to the auto business.
The restructuring is based on the belief that Li Auto’s automotive business is already well-established, with its battery electric vehicle (BEV) products reaching a mature stage. As a result, Li Xiang is now able to dedicate his energy towards advancing AI technologies within the company.
Li Auto established the “production, supply, and sales joint committee” in late 2022 during a period of intense competition from Huawei-backed Aito. This organizational upgrade was part of a larger transition to a matrix structure within the company.
Li Xiang has expressed his vision for Li Auto to become the world’s leading AI company by 2030. He views smart electric vehicles with autonomous driving capabilities as the first AI robots and believes that cars represent a significant application of AI in the physical world. However, Li Auto’s AI ambitions extend beyond just building cars, with plans to leverage AI technology to benefit every family.
In line with this vision, Li Auto recently launched the Lixiang Tongxue App, featuring an AI chatbot as one of its key features. The app has since been updated to include DeepSeek R1 and V3 AI models for an enhanced user experience.
By focusing on AI development, Li Xiang aims to position Li Auto as a pioneer in the AI industry, leveraging the potential of AI technology to revolutionize the automotive sector and beyond. As the company continues to innovate and expand its AI capabilities, it remains committed to driving the future of smart mobility and AI-driven solutions.
