Tencent Tests DeepSek Search Feature On The Weixin App

Weixin is testing access to DeepSee for search features (photo: x @petersanyaone)

JAKARTA Tencent announced on Sunday 16 February that messaging app Weixin, which is China's largest messaging app, is allowing some of its users to conduct searches using DeepSek's artificial intelligence (AI) model. This move comes in line with the intense competition among technology companies to integrate the front AI platform.

In beta testing, Weixin is testing access to DeepSek for search features, Tencent said in an emailed statement to the media. The move is quite striking as DeepSek's integration brings external AI platforms into the Tencent ecosystem, while tech companies are competing to develop the most advanced AI.

A Tencent spokesperson stated that Weixin uses Tencent's proprietary large language model, namely Hunyuan, to enrich its AI search capabilities. In addition, Tencent is also exploring DeepSek integration with various other products, including the Tencent Cloud AI Code Assistant and Tencent Yuanbao, other AI assistant applications, according to sources with knowledge of this.

DeepSek testing is currently being carried out at Weixin, which serves domestic users in China, not on WeChat, its sister app aimed at overseas users. Both applications have a total of 1.38 billion users by the end of September 2024.

DeepSek stole the world's AI attention last month by launching a free AI assistant that it claims uses less data at a much lower cost than existing similar services. In no time, DeepSek managed to surpass US rival ChatGPT in the number of downloads from the Apple App Store.

Among Chinese companies trying to take advantage of DeepSeek's potential breakthrough, carmaker Great Wall Motor and leading telecommunications service provider have begun to integrate DeepSek's AI model into their products and services.