Ant Group enters AI robotics sector to build China’s humanoid workforce

The fintech giant is hiring for a range of ‘embodied intelligence’ roles responsible for developing the brains and bodies of humanoid robots

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An Ant Group building in Hangzhou, eastern China. Photo: Shutterstock Images

Published: 12:30pm, 20 Feb 2025Updated: 2:59pm, 20 Feb 2025

Chinese fintech giant Ant Group has ventured into the country’s booming humanoid robotics sector, according to a company statement and job postings.

The recent move by Ant, an affiliate of South China Morning Post owner Alibaba Group Holding, comes as Chinese tech giants are investing heavily into the humanoid-robot supply chain, hoping that the technology can be quickly deployed in factories and homes to replace human workers.

Ant said in a statement on Wednesday that it would continue to invest in AI. In a speech addressing employees last December, founder Jack Ma said the company must embrace the fast-developing technology as “the changes brought by AI in the next 20 years will go beyond everyone’s imagination”.

Ant set up an entity in Shanghai late last year called Shanghai Mayi Lingbo Technology with 100 million yuan (US$13.7 million) in registered capital, according to business registry database Tianyancha.

Humanoid robots from various Chinese and foreign brands on display during the 2024 World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai in July. Photo: SCMP

Launched on December 17, the new firm would focus on the “research and development of embodied-intelligence technology and products”, an Ant representative said on Wednesday.