TLDR
- Tencent is testing a new AI assistant called Xiaowei inside WeChat, available to a limited number of users
- Xiaowei responds to text and voice commands and can help users navigate WeChat’s mini-programs
- The assistant primarily uses Tencent’s own WeLM language model, with some queries handled by DeepSeek
- Tencent trails rivals ByteDance and Alibaba in AI development and large language model advances
- Alibaba’s Ant Group is also testing a similar AI agent inside its Alipay app
Tencent Holdings has begun limited testing of an AI assistant called Xiaowei inside WeChat, its super app used by over 1.4 billion people in China. The rollout is currently available to a small number of selected users.
Tencent Holdings Limited, TCTZF
Xiaowei can take commands by text or voice. It helps users send messages, make calls, and navigate the mini-programs built into WeChat’s ecosystem — which includes food delivery, ride-hailing, payments, and shopping.
The assistant runs primarily on WeLM, Tencent’s own large language model. For some queries, it turns to DeepSeek to handle processing, according to a statement from Tencent’s customer service unit.
WeChat, known as Weixin inside China, sits at the center of daily life for hundreds of millions of people. That reach makes it a potentially powerful platform for AI integration — if Tencent can get it right.
Tencent stock (HK: 0700) fell 1.64% on Monday.
Playing Catch-Up in China’s AI Race
The launch comes as Tencent looks to close a gap with its domestic rivals. The Shenzhen-based company lags behind ByteDance and Alibaba in both AI user adoption and the development of frontier large language models.
Earlier this month, reports surfaced that Tencent was building an AI agent capable of automating tasks across WeChat’s mini-program network. Monday’s announcement confirms that work has moved into active testing.
The broader race among Chinese tech firms is accelerating. Companies are pushing to develop AI agents — software that completes tasks on behalf of users — rather than tools that simply answer questions.
Ant Group Also Testing AI Inside Alipay
Tencent is not alone in this push. Alibaba’s fintech affiliate Ant Group is running a similar test inside Alipay, its widely used payments app. That agent is designed to let users book car rides or order food through voice or text.
The parallel moves suggest Chinese super apps are treating AI integration as a priority for keeping users engaged on their platforms.
WeChat hasn’t specified the full range of tasks Xiaowei can complete at this stage. The testing phase is limited, and no timeline has been given for a broader rollout.
Tencent’s customer service unit confirmed the WeLM and DeepSeek details separately from the main WeChat announcement, adding a bit more technical clarity to what is otherwise an early-stage product.
The feature remains in limited testing as of June 22, 2026, with no word yet on when it will be made available more widely.
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