Ant Group, the fintech giant affiliated with Alibaba, has just taken a major step beyond the payments and financial sectors. On Thursday in Shanghai, the company unveiled its first humanoid robot, marking its ambitions in the robotics industry.
The R1 model robot, launched by Ant Group, was developed by Shanghai Lingbo Technology, a subsidiary of Ant Group. Its uniqueness lies in Ant Group’s use of its self-developed AI model, which enables the robot to end-to-end plan and execute complex tasks, rather than just following simple instructions.
Ant Group demonstrated how the R1 can act as a tour guide, organize pharmacy medicines, provide basic medical consultations, and even complete simple kitchen tasks. For Ant Group, this is a showcase of its AI capabilities not only existing in the cloud but also being embedded in physical devices with practical applications.
For investors, this launch is another sign that Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) and its affiliated companies are seeking new growth engines, as they bet that AI-driven robotics technology will become the next frontier.
