Robot Technology News
ROBO SPACE
China's Ant Group launches AI 'life assistant'
China's Ant Group launches AI 'life assistant'
by AFP Staff Writers
Hong Kong (AFP) Sept 6, 2024

The fintech firm backed by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has made a foray into products powered by artificial intelligence after announcing a "life assistant" mobile app.

Ant Group said its Zhixiaobao app can help users "order meals, hail taxis, book tickets, and discover local dining and entertainment options" as well as access services in the digital payment app Alipay.

Unveiled in Shanghai on Thursday, comes as tech giants such as Google, Meta and Microsoft ramp up investment in the AI market, with many firms touting tighter integration of chatbots.

"Alipay is committed to harnessing AI's potential to improve the user experience, ensuring that AI assistants like Zhixiaobao become valuable tools in everyday life for all," Ant Group president Cyril Han said in a news release.

Since Ant's initial public offering was scrapped by Chinese authorities in 2020, the firm has been forced to overhaul its business model to satisfy financial regulators.

Last year, it was fined 7.1 billion yuan (US$984 million) for "illegal" acts months after its billionaire founder Jack Ma relinquished control.

The Hangzhou-based company saw its profits fall 10 percent in the January-March quarter, Bloomberg News reported, adding that Ant's valuation has fallen more than 70 percent since the aborted IPO.

Ant on Thursday described its new product as an "AI-native application powered by Ant Group's BaiLing foundation model", referring to the company's large language model.

The Chinese government gave the green light last year for Ant to offer products that used BaiLing.

At the Shanghai event, the firm also announced AI-powered products for merchants, healthcare service users and insurance companies.

Related Links
All about the robots on Earth and beyond!

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
ROBO SPACE
AI chatbots must learn to say 'help!' says Microsoft exec
San Francisco (AFP) Sept 1, 2024
Generative AI tools will save companies lots of time and money, promises Vik Singh, a Microsoft vice president, even if the models must learn to admit when they just don't know what to do. "Just to be really frank, the thing that's really missing today is that a model doesn't raise its hands and say 'Hey, I'm not sure, I need help,'" Singh told AFP in an interview. Since last year, Microsoft, Google and their competitors have been rapidly deploying generative AI applications like ChatGPT, which ... read more

ROBO SPACE
Thousands of drone professionals to convene today at Commercial UAV Expo in Las Vegas

Turkish drone downed over northern Iraq: military official

NASA unveils new pod to enhance autonomous aircraft vision

Zelensky urges Europe to help down Russian drones, missiles

ROBO SPACE
New category of electrolytes discovered: glass-forming liquid electrolytes

3D imaging technology unlocks new insights in plastic waste recycling

Engineers smash rocks to gain new insights into rapid compaction of granular materials

Salsa Satellite's reentry to be observed live from the sky

ROBO SPACE
US steps up export controls on advanced tech goods

Dutch match US export curbs on semiconductor machines

Scaling quantum computing by reducing error impact and enhancing efficiency

Block copolymer enables sub-8 nm line widths in semiconductor manufacturing

ROBO SPACE
Assorted, distinctive behavior of molten uranium salt revealed by neutrons

New French nuclear reactor resumes operations

UN nuclear chief in Russia reiterates safety concerns

New French nuclear reactor enters automatic shutdown

ROBO SPACE
Colombia police foil attack in Cali, host of COP16 summit

Iraq-US joint raid kills 15 IS fighters

NATO airbase in Germany raises security level over 'potential threat'

NATO base in Germany briefly raises security level after 'potential threat'

ROBO SPACE
Heat pumps are key to home electrification -- but will Americans buy in?

China nears peak emissions as climate envoy meets US counterpart

UK announces record green energy auction

Treasury Department, IRS, propose expansion of clean energy tax credits

ROBO SPACE
Argonne to lead National Energy Storage Research Hub

Researchers discover a surprising way to jump-start battery performance

Bubbling, frothing and sloshing: Long-hypothesized plasma instabilities finally observed

Innovative smart windows cool buildings and generate electricity without external power

ROBO SPACE
China launches Yaogan 43B remote-sensing satellites from Xichang

Shenzhou-18 Crew Tests Fire Alarms and Conducts Medical Procedures in Space

Astronauts on Tiangong Space Station Complete Fire Safety Drill

Shenzhou XVIII Crew Conducts Emergency Drill on Tiangong Space Station

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.