Ant’s health chatbot becomes China’s most popular medical app

Ant Group's health chatbot has shot to the top of China's app download charts. Users are flocking to the AI-powered tool as they search for personalized medical care that overworked hospitals simply can't provide.

The fintech giant, which operates China's dominant Alipay payment app, is making a bold play for the country's digital health market. Its chatbot app Ant Afu acts as a wellness companion, answering health questions, booking hospital appointments, analyzing test results, and sending medication reminders.

The numbers tell the story of China's healthcare crisis. Since launching in June as "AQ," the app has attracted 30 million monthly users by January. More than half live in smaller cities where medical resources are scarce.

How does it work?

Ant Afu combines artificial intelligence with what the company calls "agentic capabilities." Users can ask medical questions, schedule both online consultations and in-person hospital visits, and get insurance reimbursements processed.

The app connects directly to Alipay's existing hospital payment systems and appointment booking tools. Millions of Chinese citizens already access their national medical insurance through Alipay, giving Ant a huge head start.

In January 2025, Ant bought Haodf, China's leading online medical consultation platform with over 300,000 registered doctors. This acquisition gives the chatbot access to real physicians when AI responses aren't enough.

Why does it matter?

China's healthcare system is broken at the primary care level. Most people seek treatment at massive public hospitals that serve everything from common colds to cancer cases. These facilities are concentrated in major cities, creating a perfect storm of long waits, rushed consultations, and burned-out doctors.

The country's rapidly aging population makes this problem worse every year. Digital health tools offer a way out for people who want to avoid the hospital nightmare entirely.

Ant's founder Jack Ma personally chose the name "Afu" because it sounds friendly in Chinese. CEO Han Xinyi says Ma wants the chatbot to be "an AI friend that offers emotional companionship" rather than just another medical tool.

The context

Chinese tech giants are racing to dominate digital healthcare. JD.com, ByteDance, and Baidu all offer online medical consultation tools and AI doctor chatbots. But Ant has a major advantage through its existing relationships with regulators, hospitals, and insurance providers.

"For startups, the bureaucratic red tape and initial investment required to build the platform seem like too big a hurdle to overcome," says Ivy Yang, a China tech analyst at Wavelet Strategy.

The company has spent tens of millions of dollars marketing Afu across China. Ads appear in subway stations, social media feeds, public restrooms, and painted on rural walls. By January's end, Ant Afu ranked in the top ten most-downloaded iOS apps nationwide.

American AI companies are also expanding into healthcare. OpenAI and Anthropic recently launched tools for consumers and healthcare providers. Both ChatGPT and Claude can now analyze medical reports and fitness data.

But the rapid growth of AI healthcare tools raises serious concerns about misinformation and bias. Recent investigations found Google's AI giving incorrect health advice, while academic studies show AI diagnostic tools can discriminate based on race or income level.