Tencent is testing Xiaowei, an AI assistant embedded directly into WeChat, with a public rollout planned for Q3. Unlike a standalone chatbot, Xiaowei acts as a command layer across WeChat's ecosystem of mini-programs, letting users complete tasks — from drafting messages to payments — via text or voice. It primarily uses Weixin's own LLM, with DeepSeek handling some queries. The move mirrors a broader trend among Chinese tech giants embedding AI agents into existing super-apps rather than launching separate destinations, leveraging WeChat's 1.4 billion users to bypass the costly user acquisition problem.
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