Fintech Giant Turns to AI Robot Assistants
Ant Group, the Jack Ma-backed fintech powerhouse linked to Alibaba, stepped into robotics by unveiling its AI Robot Assistant R1 at the 2025 Inclusion Conference on the Bund in Shanghai.
The project, built by its robotics unit Shanghai Ant Lingbo Technology Co. (Robbyant), signals Ant’s pivot from fintech dominance to the competitive global race for AI-powered humanoid helpers.
AI Robot Assistant R1’s Unique Abilities
The R1 humanoid assistant is not a typical service robot. Powered by Ant’s proprietary large AI model, it can plan and perform tasks end-to-end, instead of only following commands.
Demonstrations highlighted how the AI robot could:
- Serve as a tour guide
- Sort and organize medicine in pharmacies
- Provide basic medical consultations
- Handle kitchen tasks like simple meal prep
“Our AI expertise doesn’t just live in the cloud — it can be embedded into physical machines with real-world value,” Ant emphasized at the launch.
Testing the AI-Powered Assistant Before Market Launch
Currently, the AI-powered assistant remains in testing phases rather than being sold to consumers. Ant is trialing the R1 in community care centers, restaurants, and other safe environments, with an emphasis on safety and reliability.
There is no pricing announced and the robot is not available for retail customers yet.
Learning nugget: Such AI testing should always include tests for AI hallucinations.
Future Vision for Robotic Companions
Ant Group’s longer-term ambition is to design companion and caregiver robots — humanoid helpers that can support elderly care, healthcare tasks, and household management. This expansion places AI robot assistants at the center of Ant’s vision for the future, while also positioning Alibaba’s ecosystem to capitalize on robotics as the next big growth frontier.
