Guangzhou Launches AI Medical Assistant 'Sui Xiao Yi'; Ant Health's 'Afu' App Serves as Digital Family Doctor Platform in 10 Cities Nationwide

A few days ago, Mr. Chen, a resident of Haizhu District in Guangzhou, woke up with mild stomach pain. As the discomfort was not severe and he was in a hurry to get to work, he did not go directly to the hospital. Instead, he consulted the “Ant Fu” app on his way to work. Based on his symptoms, Ant Fu suggested that it was likely mild gastroenteritis triggered by weather changes, recommended drinking light saline solution for relief, and advised seeking medical attention promptly. Mr. Chen then scheduled an appointment through the app, took leave in the afternoon, and went to the hospital. The doctor’s diagnosis was largely consistent with Ant Fu’s assessment.

Mr. Chen’s experience is a microcosm of the upgrade in Guangzhou’s smart healthcare services. On January 23, reporters learned at the Greater Bay Area Healthcare Innovation Conference that, to enhance citizens’ medical care experience, the Guangzhou Municipal Health Commission has launched “Sui Xiaoyi,” an AI medical assistant, which has officially been integrated into the Ant Afu App. By downloading the Afu App, citizens can interact with “Sui Xiaoyi” via voice or text to access intelligent services covering the entire healthcare journey, including health consultations, smart appointment registration, waiting list notifications, medical insurance payments, and report inquiry and interpretation.

Furthermore, the Guangzhou Municipal Health Commission has pioneered a pilot program for “Digital Family Doctor” enrollment services in Haizhu District, allowing residents to sign up with real-life physicians from their local communities via the Afu App and obtain exclusive access to a “Digital Family Doctor.”

It is reported that city-level AI agents from various regions, including Chongqing’s “Yu Xiaojian” and Guangzhou’s “Sui Xiaoyi,” have been integrated into the Ant Aifu App, providing users with diverse services such as health consultations, appointment scheduling, cloud-based medical companionship, and medical report interpretation. In addition, ten regions, including Heilongjiang, Xinjiang, and Zhengzhou, have designated the Ant Aifu App as the contracted cooperation platform for their “Digital Family Doctor” initiatives.

“Sui Xiao Yi” is an AI-powered medical assistant jointly developed by the Guangzhou Municipal Health Commission and Ant Group’s Afu. It provides 24/7 responses to residents’ health needs, offering immediate, professional, and comprehensive health guidance to the elderly, patients with chronic diseases, and working professionals. Whether it involves medication advice for colds and coughs or consultations on insomnia, “Sui Xiao Yi” delivers preliminary analysis and actionable recommendations based on users’ descriptions.

Meanwhile, “Sui Xiao Yi” has also launched the “Instant Inquiry and Processing” service on the Afu App. Users simply need to state the hospital or department they wish to register with, and “Sui Xiao Yi” will automatically match available appointment slots and organize key information, enabling citizens to complete registration directly and significantly enhancing convenience. Currently, the “Instant Inquiry and Processing” service is available at multiple hospitals, including Guangzhou First People’s Hospital, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, and Haizhu District Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Guangzhou.

In addition, the “Cloud Accompaniment” service provided by “Sui Xiaoyi” on the Afu App has already covered more than 50 hospitals in Guangzhou and has taken the lead in Haizhu District to achieve full-chain integration from tertiary Grade A hospitals to primary healthcare institutions. This service accompanies citizens throughout their hospital visit process, providing real-time guidance and reminders from appointment check-in and queue management to report collection, significantly enhancing the convenience and efficiency of in-hospital medical care and making the experience more relaxed for patients. Furthermore, residents can also use “Sui Xiaoyi” to register online and book appointments at over 300 hospitals, including the Affiliated Hospitals of Guangzhou Medical University and Nanfang Hospital.

When seeking offline medical care or purchasing medications, citizens can also use voice commands to quickly activate their medical insurance code within the Afu App, completing scan-to-pay in just two steps for more efficient medical insurance settlement.

“Cloud-based medical escort services are exceptionally thoughtful!” Ms. Zhong, who recently sought medical attention for throat discomfort, can attest to this. “From appointment registration to retrieving test reports, ‘Sui Xiaoyi’ accompanied me every step of the way, giving me great peace of mind.” As soon as her test results were available, they were uploaded to Afu, which provided a detailed analysis and follow-up recommendations in approximately 10 seconds. Moreover, the Afu app even understands Cantonese! Elderly users can consult Afu in Cantonese with complete ease.

Hua Jun, Director of the Information and Statistics Division of the Guangzhou Municipal Health Commission, stated, “Moving forward, we will align with Guangzhou’s policies on developing AI for life and health, promote the in-depth application of artificial intelligence in the healthcare sector, continuously enhance the service capabilities of ‘Sui Xiaoyi,’ and provide residents with smarter and more convenient medical and health services!”

Ant Aifu is an AI-powered health application under Ant Group and currently stands as China’s leading AI health management app. On “Aifu,” users can ask health-related questions or set small health goals, such as exercise and dietary plans, anytime and anywhere. According to reporters, “Aifu” is connected to 5,000 hospitals and 300,000 licensed physicians across China. Additionally, more than 1,000 renowned doctors from around the country have created their own “AI avatars” on “Aifu” to answer users’ health inquiries online in real time. In terms of medical report interpretation, its accuracy rate exceeds 95%, covering 99% of common report types. By integrating these capabilities with “Sui Xiaoyi”’s localized healthcare services, high-quality medical and health services are made more accessible.