Foundation model developer StepFun and Alipay have announced a system-level partnership aimed at bringing AI agents beyond conversational assistance and into everyday consumer services. The collaboration was unveiled on July 17 during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) 2026 in Shanghai.
The partnership combines StepFun’s AI models and AI-native devices with Alipay’s expanding AI services platform, allowing users to complete real-world tasks through natural language interactions instead of navigating multiple applications.
Under the agreement, users will be able to access AI-powered daily services through Ah Bao, Alipay’s AI-native application, either by speaking to an AI agent on StepFun’s AI-native terminal or through its large language model.
During a live demonstration at WAIC 2026, a user asked Amoo, an AI agent running on StepFun’s StepX Neosmartphone, to “find the nearest EV charger and order me a coffee to my home.” The AI agent interpreted the request, considered factors including route and pricing, and then activated EV charging and coffee-ordering agents within Ah Bao. It recommended suitable options and generated a ready-to-confirm order without requiring the user to switch between different apps.
The companies said the integration is powered by Alipay’s Agent Hub-Access (AHA), a platform designed to enable AI agents to connect across different services and collaborate to complete tasks with the user’s authorization. The technology is intended to simplify interactions between AI systems while allowing consumers to access multiple digital services through a single conversational interface.
Alipay has been expanding its AI strategy throughout 2026. The company launched Ah Bao in June as an AI-native version of its app, giving consumers conversational access to more than 10,000 everyday services, including utility bill payments, pet service bookings and EV charging station searches. The platform is also becoming an AI agent hub integrated with a growing number of AI terminals, including Qwen and OPPO.
The latest announcement follows another recent partnership. On July 15, OPPO revealed that its Breeno AI assistant would integrate with Ah Bao, allowing smartphone users to access Alipay’s AI-powered daily life services through natural conversations.
StepFun’s collaboration with Alipay reflects the broader shift in the AI industry toward agentic AI, where AI systems move beyond answering questions to planning and completing multi-step tasks across connected digital ecosystems. Rather than functioning as standalone chatbots, these agents are increasingly designed to interact with multiple platforms, helping users accomplish everyday activities through a single request.
Alipay has evolved from a mobile payments platform into a broader digital services ecosystem, connecting more than one billion consumers with over 80 million merchants across China while supporting sectors including travel, healthcare, tourism and entertainment. The company says it is continuing to build an AI-driven open platform by integrating AI agents that deliver more personalized services while supporting the digital transformation of the service industry.
