Ant Group Launches AI Agent Foundation and Cross-Device Protocol

Ant Group unveiled a full-stack commercial infrastructure for artificial intelligence agents and the Agent Hub Access (AHA) protocol at its AI ecosystem conference in Hangzhou. Chief Executive Officer Han Xinyi projected that commercial applications for AI agents will expand rapidly over the next six to twelve months as technological capabilities, consumer demand, and commercial value loops mature. Alipay disclosed that its primary service agent, Abao, has connected more than 10,000 services across five smartphone makers and sixteen automakers, partnering with over 20 firms including Huawei, OPPO, BYD, Geely, and Qwen.

The transition from standalone AI chat tools to multi-agent commercial ecosystems represents a pivotal step in deploying artificial intelligence across real-world business scenarios. By launching an open agent operating framework and integrating payments with digital identity infrastructure, Alipay is attempting to establish standard protocols for service distribution and commercial trust across smart hardware, vehicles, and mobile platforms.

Ant Group has unveiled a suite of commercial infrastructure tools and a cross-terminal connection framework aimed at scaling artificial intelligence agents across enterprise and consumer services, according to reports from People's Daily Online covering the company's AI ecosystem conference in Hangzhou. Speaking at the event, Ant Group Chief Executive Officer Han Xinyi stated that commercial AI agent applications are positioned for rapid growth over the next 6 to 12 months. Han attributed this timeline to the simultaneous maturation of AI technical capabilities, shifts in user demand toward natural-language interaction, and the formation of commercial closed loops. He characterized the shift as the foundation of an intent-centric commerce model that creates incremental revenue by lowering search, comparison, and verification costs between consumers and merchants. To facilitate adoption, Alipay launched a full-stack commercial platform designed to help merchants transition from standard digital operations to autonomous AI-driven management. For businesses lacking proprietary AI engineering resources, the platform offers managed onboarding tools that convert web pages, product catalogs, and service workflows into standardized skills and Model Context Protocol (MCP) units. For enterprises with existing AI implementations, the system provides agent orchestration, user insight modules, and multi-agent coordination capabilities to handle complex, multi-party fulfillment tasks. Alipay also introduced the Agent Hub Access (AHA) protocol suite, which establishes standardized specifications for skill interfaces, inter-agent communication, and cross-device execution. Alipay Business Group President Li Jun noted that as intelligent hardware proliferates, service entry points will become increasingly fragmented and ambient, requiring unified interoperability across devices. According to conference disclosures, Alipay's flagship service agent, Abao, has connected more than 10,000 AI-enabled services spanning five major smartphone manufacturers and sixteen automakers. More than 20 industry partners—including Qwen, Huawei, OPPO, BYD, and Geely—have joined the ecosystem. Ant Group indicated it will continue opening underlying infrastructure, including AI-integrated payments, verified identity protocols, privacy computing, and blockchain-based trust systems, to external developers and enterprise partners.