Ant Group's AI health app AQ hits 140 million users

Ant Group said its AI healthcare app AQ has reached 140 million users since its official launch in China in June 2025, with 60% of users from third-tier and lower-tier cities.

At the INCLUSION Conference on the Bund in Shanghai, Ant Group rolled out new updates and features for AQ.

AQ provides over 100 AI-powered healthcare services, such as doctor recommendations, medical report analysis, and personalized health advice.

Users can access digital services from more than 5,000 hospitals, online consultations with 200,000 doctors, and support from over 300 AI doctor agents developed with Chinese hospitals.

Ant Group also launched an AI agent development platform to help doctors and institutions build custom AI agents.

🔗 Source: Ant Group

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

Rural healthcare access drives AI adoption in China’s lower-tier cities

AQ’s user distribution reflects China’s healthcare inequality, with 60% of its 140 million users coming from tier-three and lower-tier cities1.
This pattern aligns with research showing that 8% of Chinese cities serve as healthcare hubs while 63% compensate for shortages in other regions, with 76% of patient mobility driven by seeking better treatment2.
The AI platform addresses this gap by connecting users to over 5,000 hospitals and 200,000 doctors digitally, eliminating geographical barriers that traditionally forced patients to travel to major cities1.
A study of 150 doctors treating 1,000 patients showed that AI support improved diagnostic accuracy among community doctors by 4-8%, demonstrating how technology can enhance rural medical capabilities1.
China’s aging demographics intensify this need; by 2035, the country will have more people over 60 than the entire U.S. population, creating unprecedented healthcare demands in areas already underserved3.

Healthcare AI adoption accelerates globally despite persistent trust barriers

AQ’s rapid growth to 140 million users in less than a year reflects the broader healthcare AI momentum, with 75% of leading healthcare companies worldwide now experimenting with or scaling generative AI4.
However, trust remains a major challenge; three out of four U.S. patients don’t trust AI in healthcare, though 64% are comfortable with AI virtual nurse assistants4.
The global context supports AI healthcare expansion: 4.5 billion people lack access to essential healthcare services, and a projected shortage of 11 million health workers by 2030 creates urgent demand for AI solutions5.
China’s healthcare market growth from RMB 6.6 trillion in 2020 to a projected RMB 205 trillion by 2030 provides the economic foundation for large-scale AI healthcare investments like AQ6.
AQ’s approach of partnering with established medical institutions and creating AI agents co-developed with leading physicians appears designed to build credibility and overcome the trust barriers that plague AI healthcare adoption globally.