In a notable turn within the open-source AI community, Alibaba's Qwen series has now claimed the top spot for downloads on Hugging Face, surpassing Meta's established Llama family.
This milestone, reached in late 2025, points to changing trends in how developers select tools for building AI applications.
The Milestone Achievement
Recent data from independent trackers shows Qwen's cumulative downloads hitting around 385 million by mid-December 2025, just ahead of Llama's 346 million.
This reversal comes after Qwen trailed earlier in the year, with the gap closing rapidly from the third quarter onward.
Analysts view this as a meaningful indicator of growing interest rather than a short-term spike.
Factors Fueling Qwen's Growth
Qwen's success stems from regular updates offering models in various sizes, from small to large parameter counts.
Its open licensing allows broad commercial use and easy tweaks, appealing to cost-aware teams.
Strong support for efficient running on devices, along with solid results in reasoning and coding tests, further boosts its appeal for both testing and real-world setups.
Regional and Practical Advantages
Many downloads come from areas prioritizing flexible options, such as Asia, where Qwen's multilingual strengths shine in languages like Chinese and Arabic. This contrasts with Llama's focus on English-heavy tasks.
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Head-to-Head: Qwen Versus Llama
While Llama holds strong with its well-developed tools and ties to Western systems, Qwen is gaining ground in new community projects.
More fresh models now build on Qwen's base, though Llama remains key for certain large-scale or visual tasks. Download numbers reflect curiosity and trials, not always final use in products.
| Aspect | Qwen (Alibaba) | Llama (Meta) |
|---|---|---|
| Cumulative Downloads | Roughly 385 million | Roughly 346 million |
| Focus Areas | Varied sizes, math/coding strengths | General-purpose, multimodal options |
| Licensing | Permissive for customization | Open but with some limits |
| Ecosystem Trends | Increasing new derivatives | Declining share but solid base |
Broader Impacts on AI Development
This shift highlights a more diverse AI landscape, where choices depend on specific needs like device-based apps or cloud operations.
It encourages blends of models and pushes companies to innovate faster.
Editor's Comments
This overtake by Qwen underscores China's advancing role in global AI, building on Alibaba's investments in efficient, accessible tech amid U.S.-China tech divides.
Past patterns show such shifts often spark innovation waves, as seen with earlier open models boosting startups.
Looking ahead, expect Meta to respond with quicker Llama updates, potentially leading to a more collaborative ecosystem where hybrid approaches become standard, benefiting developers worldwide.
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