Ant Group spent a record RMB 21.2 billion ($2.9 billion) on research and development last year, according to its 2023 sustainability report posted on Thursday. The fintech giant said that spending was largely focused on artificial intelligence technology. Ant opened its Bailing AI foundation model to the public in November. As part of the company’s overseas expansion effort, Ant Group has cooperated with 25 e-payment platforms, reaching over 1.5 billion accounts at home and abroad to boost cross-border payments. [Ant Group, in Chinese]Related