Multiple sources directly corroborate the statement. Evidence from CNBC, Investor's Business Daily, and mlq.ai explicitly states that Alibaba's shares 'soared' or 'surged' following the CEO's announcement of increased spending and investment in artificial intelligence. While one source mentions shares falling after a similar announcement, another clarifies this was 'after an AI-fueled rally,' which still supports the statement's claim of an initial positive stock reaction.