Ant Group’s AQ leads China’s AI health boom with 30 million monthly users

China’s AI-native health app AQ by fintech giant Ant Group has reached 30 million monthly active users as of January 2026, answering over 10 million health-related questions daily and becoming the country’s leading AI health platform.

A recent survey by public health media outlet Life Times shows strong support for AI doctor services among Chinese physicians. Of 500 doctors from top-tier hospitals, more than 70% said they would recommend AI services for routine health questions, with AQ being the most frequently suggested platform.

Launched in June 2025, AQ—known in Chinese as Ant A-Fu—connects users to digital services from 5,000 hospitals, online consultations with 300,000 doctors nationwide, and more than 500 AI Doctor Agents developed with leading physicians. These agents, trained on doctors’ clinical experience, provide free responses to users’ common health questions; in 2025 alone, they handled over 27 million inquiries.

Doctors surveyed said AI services help manage high volumes of patient questions efficiently, provide patient education, and reduce anxiety, particularly for routine or repetitive concerns. Over 60% of physicians already use AI tools in their work, and more than 90% are optimistic about their future.

The growth of AI health services comes amid China’s aging population, with 310 million people aged 60 or above by the end of 2024, representing 22% of the population. Analysts project that demand for healthcare will rise alongside this demographic shift, with China’s AI healthcare market expected to expand from US$1.6 billion in 2023 to nearly US$19 billion by 2030.

Hospitals and physicians across China are increasingly partnering with technology companies like Ant Group to explore how AI can improve healthcare efficiency while expanding access to quality care.