Alipay's AI overhaul, codenamed "Bao Plan" internally, is being personally led by Li Jun, president of Alipay's business group. According to details from LatePost, a Chinese tech news outlet, the top-secret Ant Group project is expected to launch soon, with rapid bi-weekly updates after release. To serve its existing 1 billion users with zero migration cost, the new version uses a one-click cage-changing model: users will still see the original Alipay by default, but can switch to a new conversation-driven interface with a single tap and set it as the default.
On the technical front, the new version adopts a dual-track system. On one track, it pushes businesses to convert their services into MCP (Machine-Callable Protocol) interfaces that AI can directly invoke. On the other, with user permission, it uses screen reader operations to work with mini apps that haven't been updated yet, completing long-task service loops. Alipay also plans to launch an AI open platform after the update, and push cross-device connectivity with phones, car systems, and smart glasses.
Strategically, the revamp project underwent a major route change. When the project team was first formed in late 2023, they chose to develop a standalone native AI app to avoid the complexity of intertwining with the existing Alipay business. In September 2024, they released Zhi Xiaobao. However, the standalone app underperformed, while AI agents within Alipay maintained stable DAU in the millions. Due to high user acquisition and migration costs for the standalone app, along with limited computing resources, the team pivoted in March 2025, abandoning the standalone approach. By December 2025 (likely a typo in source, meaning December 2024?), they officially launched an in-app revamp project, gradually implementing the "cage-changing" plan.