Short answer: LingGuang 2.0 is the new version of Ant Group’s AI assistant, released in China on 27 October 2026. With your permission it spots needs on its own, keeps running tasks on a cloud host after you close the chat, and follows up on things like forgotten subscriptions, flight prices and school notices. The app is free on iOS and Android and also works on the web.

By Agent Playbox Editorial · Published

LingGuang 2.0: Ant Group's AI assistant that follows up

Key facts

What did Ant Group launch on 27 October 2026?

Ant Group, the company behind Alipay, released LingGuang 2.0 on 27 October 2026 (China Daily). The upgrade moves its AI assistant from answering one request at a time to what Ant calls managing your affairs: once you give permission, LingGuang can notice a likely need by itself, start analysing or monitoring it, and remind you at the moments that need your attention.

Ant describes the shift in simple terms. Before, you had to spot a problem and ask for help; now the assistant moves the starting point forward and keeps a matter going over hours, days or longer. The release was confirmed the same morning by business outlet Yicai, which highlighted support for MCP and CLI tools and the new APASS security layer (Yicai), and was picked up in English by TechNode (TechNode).

How does LingGuang 2.0 work?

Memory that lasts between chats

The 2.0 release upgrades three things at once: memory that carries across conversations, scheduling for long-running tasks, and connections to tools and services (China Daily). That lets LingGuang remember preferences and pick up where it left off instead of starting from zero each time.

It keeps working after you leave

LingGuang runs tasks on its own cloud host, so closing the app does not stop the work. It keeps watching for new information and changes in status and adjusts its follow-up accordingly (China Daily). The updated Android listing adds a “Help me manage” view where plans, lists and records update as things progress, so you can see what is done and what comes next (Xiaomi App Store).

Connected to the apps people already use

Built-in services include Alipay bills, memberships and travel, plus DingTalk, Feishu, email and Xiaomi’s Mi Home smart-home platform. Outside Ant’s own ecosystem it can call MCP and command-line tools, which widens what it can coordinate (China Daily). The store listing also mentions DiDi rides and smart hardware (Xiaomi App Store).

What can you use it for?

Ant’s examples are everyday chores that are easy to forget. Connect Alipay and LingGuang can go through your bills, find auto-renewing subscriptions you may no longer use, and suggest ways to save. Book a flight or hotel and it keeps watching the price, telling you if it drops. Busy parents can let it read teacher notices in a DingTalk class group, pull out the to-dos and format any documents that follow (China Daily, TechNode).

It also covers longer-running reminders such as pet care, children’s vaccinations, family anniversaries and annual car inspections, all within the scope you authorise (China Daily). During the beta, reported test cases included tracking market moves for office workers and re-planning trips when flights were delayed (The Standard). These map neatly onto our subscription audit and trip planning and rebooking use cases and the price tracking and school email digest skills.

How does LingGuang keep permissions safe?

Because an assistant that acts on its own needs clear limits, LingGuang 2.0 plugs into APASS, Ant’s account and security infrastructure for agents working across devices, apps and services. APASS brings identity checks, intent safety and privacy protection into each step the agent takes, and stores authorisation keys separately so the agent can complete tasks without touching them directly (China Daily).

You stay in charge: permissions can be viewed, adjusted or withdrawn at any time, and LingGuang only acts within what you have allowed (China Daily). Dealroom notes that the launch comes as China pays closer attention to AI agents (Dealroom), which makes this permission-first design a sensible fit.

How much does it cost and where is it available?

LingGuang 2.0 is rolling out in China on iOS, Android and the web (Dealroom). The iPhone app is free on the China App Store, published by Alipay (Hangzhou) Technology, and was rated 4.6 from 6,022 ratings on 27 October 2026 (App Store). Ant has not announced paid tiers for the 2.0 features, availability outside China or English-language support, so we list those as unknown.

LingGuang already has a strong base. The original app launched on 18 November 2025 as a multimodal assistant that answers with charts, maps, 3D models and small generated apps (Ant Group), and it passed 2 million downloads in its first six days (China Daily). Current user numbers for 2.0 have not been published.

What does it mean for personal AI agents?

LingGuang 2.0 shows the same direction we see across the market: assistants that run in the background and come to you, rather than waiting for a prompt. Ant itself puts it as personal agents gaining a time dimension, handling matters that stretch over hours or days, remembering context, noticing changes and asking for your judgement when it matters (China Daily).

For readers outside China, the most useful idea to borrow is the combination of a dashboard of ongoing matters with permissions you can revoke at any time. If you want a similar setup with the agents available to you, our personal finance watcher, travel concierge and school parent assistant templates are good starting points, and the change monitoring skill covers the watch-and-alert pattern.

How does LingGuang compare with Amoo and OpenAI dots?

Amoo is StepFun’s personal agent built into the operating system of its STEPX Neo phone in China, while LingGuang is an app and website that works with Alipay and the services you connect. OpenAI dots is an always-on assistant inside ChatGPT for Pro subscribers and above, with plans from USD 100 a month, that connects to your calendar, email and computer (TechCrunch). LingGuang’s strengths are its free entry point and its deep ties to payments, travel and family life in China.

See LingGuang vs Amoo and LingGuang vs OpenAI dots for side-by-side facts, and our best personal AI agents guide for the wider field. Next, watch for user numbers, any paid plan, more connected services and any move beyond China. We will update the LingGuang profile as facts are confirmed.

Timeline: how did we get here?

Agent snapshot: what do we know so far?

Facts below come from the agent profiles in our directory, each linked to its source.

LingGuang at a glance

Full LingGuang profile

Amoo at a glance

Full Amoo profile

OpenAI Dots at a glance

Full OpenAI Dots profile

Related comparisons and guides

Agents in this story

LingGuang

personal agent

Ant Group's AI assistant that, since its 2.0 upgrade, keeps working after you leave the chat: with your permission it watches bills, prices, school notices and other ongoing matters across Alipay, DingTalk, Feishu, email and Mi Home, and reminds you when something needs you.

Amoo

personal agent

StepFun's personal AI agent built into Step AOS 1.0, the operating system of its STEPX Neo phone: tell the phone what you want and Amoo carries out the steps across apps and services.

OpenAI Dots

business agent

Always-on agents powered by GPT-6 Astra, each with its own cloud computer, working towards your goals 24/7.

Frequently asked questions

What is LingGuang 2.0?

LingGuang 2.0 is the upgraded version of Ant Group's AI assistant, released on 27 October 2026. With your permission it spots needs, keeps working on a cloud host after you leave the chat and follows up on ongoing matters.

Is LingGuang free?

The app is free on the China App Store. Ant has not announced any paid tiers for the 2.0 features.

Which apps does LingGuang 2.0 connect to?

Alipay bills, memberships and travel, plus DingTalk, Feishu, email and Mi Home. It can also call MCP and command-line tools.

Can I use LingGuang outside China?

Ant has only announced a rollout in China on iOS, Android and the web. International availability has not been announced.

How does LingGuang protect my accounts?

It uses Ant's APASS security layer, which keeps authorisation keys away from the agent, and you can view, adjust or revoke permissions at any time.

Sources

Updated