SAS Students Work with AI at Ant Group
This month, twenty Shanghai American School students stepped out of the classroom and into the world of global technology during an exclusive behind-the-scenes visit to Ant Group. Thanks to SAS’s Career Immersion program, the experience gave students a rare opportunity to explore the digital technology industry firsthand and learn how artificial intelligence and sustainability initiatives shape the work of one of the world’s leading fintech companies.
The visit began with a guided tour of Ant Group’s showroom, where students learned about the company’s technological milestones, business portfolio, and environmental, social, and governance initiatives. Along the way, they explored how products like Alipay help expand financial inclusion, improve access to healthcare, and support environmental protection. Freshman Zhi C. was especially struck by the scale of collaboration behind the technology, noting that the tour revealed “the technology behind Alipay and how different regions collaborate to create a system that makes digital payment accessible for everyone.”
After the tour, students moved from observing innotion to experimenting with it themselves. Dongnan Liu, a Large Language Model Research Engineer at Ant Group, led a tutorial introducing students to the development and real-world applications of artificial intelligence. In preparation for the visit, students had already begun thinking like engineers, identifying challenges in their daily lives and designing small programs using Ant Group’s new AI platform, Lingguang, to address them.
During this session, students first shared their ideas in small groups before four volunteers presented their projects to the entire group. Their programs tackled a wide range of challenges, from helping students manage their AP coursework to tracking personal allowances. A few students leaned into creativity and designed digital games purely for fun. Ant Group professionals offered feedback and encouraged students to continue refining their ideas.
The program concluded with a career panel featuring Dongnan Liu and Sabrina Peng, Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer at Ant Group. Peng encouraged everyone to maintain a persistent curiosity about the world and to not set limits on themselves too early. In this rapidly changing era, she advised students to embrace uncertainty, gradually discovering what truly excites and inspires them through open-mindedness and lifelong learning . Liu spoke about the motivation behind his own career path, explaining that his passion for technology makes long hours worthwhile because the goals of his work are clear.
By the end of the visit, students had gained not only a deeper understanding of artificial intelligence and digital technology, but many left reflecting on the role curiosity, passion, and personal choices play in shaping a career. As sophomore Evan H. put it, the experience reinforced a simple but powerful idea: “Do what you are passionate about in life. Every good decision you make now can make a difference even 30 years down the road.”
