Alipay's AI Agent 'Ah Bao' Overhauls App for Next-Gen Services

Ant Group has launched the biggest overhaul of Alipay in two decades, transforming the mobile-payment app into an AI-native platform with autonomous agents. A trial version features an interactive assistant named 'Ah Bao', accessible via a right swipe on the homepage, allowing users to access over 10,000 services through conversation, including ride-hailing and food delivery. The feature is invite-only with a gradual roll-out planned. To address security concerns, Ah Bao acts strictly as a process operator, requiring explicit user confirmation for payments and financial actions. The move aims to dominate China's next-generation internet gateway, leveraging Alipay's billion-user base to challenge big tech rivals.