Fintech giant Ant Group spins out AI service into a personal assistant app in China

Chinese fintech giant Ant Group, the operator of one of China’s largest payment services, Alipay, has launched a stand-alone artificial intelligence (AI) app that works as a virtual assistant in its latest effort to turn large language models (LLM) into consumer services.

Ant launched its chatbot app Zhixiaobao on Thursday, with a name meant to make it sound like a child of its main payments app called Zhifubao in Chinese. The chatbot is able to facilitate daily tasks such as ordering meals and hailing taxis. It also gives users access to a range of third-party services through either text or voice prompts, the company said, allowing it to assist with different types of personal errands.

The app is part of Ant’s efforts to turn AI into “practical, user-focused solutions”, and make assistants like Zhixiaobao “valuable tools in everyday life for all”, company president Cyril Han said in a statement.

Han also said during a conference in Shanghai on Thursday that Ant will launch two additional AI apps for personal wealth management, called Maxiaocai, and health management. Ant Group is the fintech affiliate of Alibaba Group Holding, owner of the South China Morning Post.