Laying the Groundwork for the AI Age

Jiang Ji, Investors Network

On June 22, 2026, Ant Group unveiled the roster for its new board of directors on its official website. A key highlight is the dominance of independent directors, who now hold more than half of the board seats—specifically, five out of nine. The newly appointed independent directors include Bai Chong’en, Dean of Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management; He Xiaopeng, Chairman and CEO of XPeng Motors (9868.HK); Zeng Shunfu, former CEO of Deloitte China; Laura Cha, ex-Chairperson of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited; and Hongjiang Zhang, a globally recognized AI expert.

As the AI revolution sweeps across the globe and large-scale model applications reach a pivotal stage, this tech behemoth, with over a billion users, is seeking to answer a fundamental question for the next decade through a new leadership team that combines macroeconomic foresight, industry frontline experience, and a global compliance background: Where is Ant Group headed in the AI era?

From ‘National Wallet’ to ‘AI Infrastructure’: The Evolution of Ant’s Core Identity

In recent years, public perception of Ant Group has often been limited to its iconic blue payment logo or its past as a rapidly expanding fintech giant. However, a closer look at Ant’s recent moves reveals a subtle yet profound shift in its underlying strategy.

This transformation is first evident in its sustained and substantial investment in R&D. Data indicates that in 2025, Ant Group (including its subsidiaries) hit a record high in R&D spending, reaching RMB 35.03 billion. This significant funding was not funneled into traditional financial leverage but was specifically directed toward cutting-edge fields such as general artificial intelligence, data elements, trustworthy AI, and security.

The technological spillover effects are now permeating everyday life. Previously, we used Alipay primarily for payments; now, it is evolving into an ‘AI assistant.’ The standalone AI health app ‘Ant Afu’ has already surpassed 100 million users. Moreover, Alipay’s ‘AI Pay’ service has processed 300 million AI agent-based transactions, becoming the world’s first large-scale commercially deployed AI-native payment infrastructure.

From managing capital flows to handling information flows and intelligent decision-making, Ant is making a bold leap from being a mere ‘financial channel’ to becoming an ‘AI infrastructure’ provider. However, as Ant Group CEO Han Xinyi previously noted, achieving common prosperity in the AI era presents the industry with multiple challenges, including computational energy efficiency, model security, human well-being, and development. When technology ventures into uncharted territory, past experience alone can no longer serve as a reliable guide—hence Ant’s eagerness to revamp its top-level design.

The Significance of Independent Directors: Who Will Guide Ant in the AI Era?

Since 2020, Ant Group has undergone a profound transformation. From adjusting shareholder voting rights to reorganizing business segments, each step has signaled to the market a commitment to ‘compliance, transparency, and stability.’ The renewal of the board of directors, with independent directors occupying five out of nine seats, marks a crucial step in this evolution toward modern corporate governance.

Why these five individuals? A closer look at the list reveals a highly strategic ‘capability puzzle.’

Bai Chong’en’s expertise in macroeconomics, Zeng Shunfu’s international auditing and risk management experience, and Laura Cha’s prestigious standing in global capital markets provide Ant with the ‘ballast stones’ needed to navigate complex macroeconomic environments, strictly adhere to compliance standards, and align with international regulations. For a platform enterprise of systemic importance, safety and ethics cannot be ‘added later’; they must be ‘built-in.’

More noteworthy is the inclusion of Hongjiang Zhang and He Xiaopeng. As an authoritative scholar in the AI field, Zhang sets the technological compass; meanwhile, He Xiaopeng’s (9868.HK) joining sends a strong signal: Ant’s AI strategy is not confined to the ‘hundred-model battle’ in the cloud but aims to extend to the frontlines of industry, embodied intelligence, and deep integration with the real economy. The retention of non-executive directors such as Joe Tsai, co-founder of Alibaba Group, ensures strategic alignment with shareholders.

When a company’s board of directors is composed of more than half highly professional and independent external experts, its decision-making mechanism naturally leans toward a ‘debate-decision’ model. This is not only a proactive response to regulatory guidance but also aims to clear governance structure obstacles for future global competition and potential capitalization paths.

Ant’s Industry Position and Long-Term Vision in the AI Era

The current AI industry stands at a delicate inflection point. The parameter race among large-scale models is gradually cooling down, and the market is beginning to scrutinize the commercialization and energy consumption of AI technologies. In this era of great navigation, Ant’s industry position is being redefined.

Ant Group is no longer just a fintech company; it is striving to become the ‘utilities provider’ of the digital economy era. Facing the carbon emission pressures brought about by the rapid expansion of AI computational power, Ant proposes green computing as a solution. Since 2019, it has continuously explored and first applied this approach on a large scale during the 2021 ‘Double 11’ shopping festival. Through technologies such as offline hybrid deployment, cloud-native time-sharing scheduling, and AI elastic capacity, it has effectively improved computational efficiency and reduced carbon emissions in data centers.

When discussing the ‘AI anxiety’ that concerns many ordinary people—whether AI will replace humans—Han Xinyi offered a highly humane response: ‘AI should not replace humans; we should learn to use AI well to amplify our creativity and action.’ He emphasized that a CEO’s understanding of AI determines the company’s ceiling; one cannot expect to ‘win easily’ by simply hiring a technical expert. For companies, talent remains the most critical asset in the AI era.

These remarks may help alleviate the ‘AI anxiety’ felt by many professionals today. In an era of rampant technological advancement, Ant chooses to refocus on ‘humans.’ Whether investing in R&D or in the lifelong learning of employees and users, Ant is employing a long-term vision to counter the uncertainties of technological cycles.

Shedding its financial halo and donning technological armor, the renewal of the new board of directors marks Ant Group’s progress toward an improved governance structure and a clearer strategic direction. Facing the vast expanse of the AI era, this more mature and transparent Ant is just preparing for its new voyage. What do you think? Let’s discuss in the comments. (Produced by Thinker Finance)

Source: Investors Network