Alipay’s parent company, Ant Group, introduced its first humanoid robot, the R1, at its technology conference this month. The move places the ANT Group alongside other companies exploring the convergence of artificial intelligence and physical technology in the automation sector.
Developed by Shanghai Ant Lingbo Technology Co., a subsidiary of ANT Group, R1 was featured at the IFA 2025 Tech Show in Berlin. The report and video footage documented that R1 was preparing shrimp for participants. At the same time, Bloomberg reported that the same robot was announced at the 2025 Inclusion Conference in Shanghai.
According to Robbyant, the robot application goes beyond cooking tasks. The company expects R1 to serve as a companion or caregiver in a healthcare environment. Additionally, the robot is proposed to be used as a robot tour guide within the travel department.
The company has not yet disclosed details about the release date or pricing for the R1. The current tests reportedly are being conducted at community centres and restaurants. Observations from the IFA 2025 event show performance limitations. As an example, I cited the slow movement of R1 when placing a box on the counter.
The Ali Group’s foray into AI-driven robotics reflects similar initiatives, such as Tesla. Despite the historical challenges of inflated expectations and progressive progress, there is optimism that software innovation can drive advancements in the robotics domain.
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