Alipay introduced China’s first full-stack agentic commerce platform, providing merchants with tools to move from digital operations to AI-driven workflows.
The platform, announced at an AI ecosystem conference in Hangzhou, allows businesses to select AI tools suited to their needs. For those without existing AI capabilities, it offers a complete solution to prepare products, services, and workflows for AI integration. Companies already using AI can build agents, coordinate tasks, and oversee operations while leveraging Alipay’s ecosystem.
How the platform works
The system centers on Ah Bao, Alipay’s AI agent launched in June 2026. It serves as an entry point to more than 10,000 AI-powered services, including utility payments and pet care bookings. Users engage with it through natural conversation, and merchants connect their services via Alipay’s AHA protocol, which supports cross-agent and cross-device functionality.
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Retail brands such as KFC, Mixue Bingcheng, and Luckin Coffee have integrated their services with Ah Bao, allowing consumers to place orders and make payments simply by chatting with the AI agent. By August 2026, Ah Bao had partnered with five major smartphone brands covering over 70% of the market, as well as 16 car manufacturers.
Alipay’s business president, Jun Li, stated the shift reflects a broader transition toward contextual, real-time services. He noted that intelligent services are becoming widely accessible, with seamless connections across devices and agents. The company is reinforcing the infrastructure needed for industry-wide AI adoption.
Real-world applications
During the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference, Alipay showcased the system’s practical use. A user asked Amoo, an AI agent on Stepfun’s StepX Neo smartphone, to locate the nearest EV charger and arrange coffee delivery. Amoo processed the request, calculated the best route and price, then activated charging and coffee agents on Ah Bao to generate an order.
In July 2026, OPPO partnered with Alipay to enable its AI agent Breeno to help users access AI-powered daily life services connected by Ah Bao through conversations.
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Ant Group CEO Cyril Han said agentic commerce is poised for quick expansion in the coming year. He explained that AI agents will serve as a new interface linking users with merchants. Through trust and an open ecosystem, the company aims to create a new generation of AI-powered services.
The initial focus remains on China, where mobile payments and digital services have already transformed commerce. If agentic commerce succeeds as expected, the approach could expand globally, making AI agents the standard way people shop and interact with services.
This shift aligns with broader trends in digital convenience.
