WeChat opens AI ecosystem to developers

Tencent has started opening WeChat's artificial intelligence ecosystem to mini program developers, allowing companies to integrate AI agents into one of China's most widely used apps.

The move is one of Tencent's most ambitious attempts yet to embed AI across WeChat's vast ecosystem of messaging, payments, content and mini programs, which together serve more than 1 billion users.

The company published guidelines on Monday for developers seeking access to the WeChat AI ecosystem, introducing both automatic and developer modes for integration. The program remains in internal testing and requires authorization from participating developers.

Among the first batch of trial partners are some of China's largest internet companies.

E-commerce giant JD plans to deploy AI agents across shopping, food delivery and logistics services. Meituan is integrating AI into food delivery and local services, while KFC China will allow users to place orders using natural language, with the system automatically identifying nearby restaurants.

Travel platform Trip.com has completed integration for services such as flight bookings, hotel reservations and itinerary planning. Fashion marketplace Poizon will offer AI-powered product recommendations.

Hardware manufacturers are also joining the initiative. Chinese smartphone maker Honor has completed integration through an agent-to-agent protocol, while Huawei, Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo are expected to follow, sources confirmed to China Daily.

Tencent views WeChat AI as a differentiated product designed to connect five of its core ecosystems: communications, social networking, content, mini programs and payments.

The initiative reflects a broader shift underway across China's AI industry as companies seek to move beyond standalone chatbots and turn AI into a practical service layer embedded within existing consumer platforms.

Rather than competing directly on model performance, Chinese internet companies are increasingly focused on integrating AI into everyday tasks such as ordering food, booking travel, shopping and making payments.

Yet questions remain about whether AI agents can generate sustainable revenue.

Fu Weigang, head of the SIFL Institute, said that China's AI industry is seeing rapid investment growth, but viable business models remain uncertain.

"Many companies have launched AI agent services, but users still have reservations about allowing AI to make decisions on their behalf," he said. "Outside of the initial attention generated by low prices, many automated functions have yet to prove their value in real-world use."

Cost is another challenge. Every AI interaction generates token costs, raising questions about who ultimately pays: WeChat, mini program operators or merchants.

"WeChat has roughly 1.4 billion users," Fu said. "If these capabilities are rolled out at scale, the overall cost burden could become significant."

United States-based AI companies have made progress in monetization. AI startup Anthropic said in April its annualized revenue run rate had exceeded $30 billion, while OpenAI has reported annualized revenue exceeding $10 billion, driven largely by subscriptions and enterprise services.

China's paid AI market remains at a much earlier stage of development, with only a handful of companies experimenting with tiered subscription models.

"Traditional internet platforms primarily generate revenue through advertising, but AI services function more like utilities, where consumers have historically shown less willingness to pay," Fu added.

chengyu@chinadaily.com.cn