Tencent Holdings Ltd.’s Yuanbao AI chatbot has become the most downloaded iPhone app in China this week, surpassing DeepSeek and highlighting the escalating competition within the country’s artificial intelligence sector. The app’s rise to the top spot signifies a pivotal moment in the rapidly evolving landscape of Chinese AI.
Yuanbao’s success comes as interest in AI applications continues to surge in China. The app integrates Tencent’s proprietary Hunyuan artificial intelligence technology, complemented by DeepSeek’s R1 reasoning model. This strategic integration appears to be a key factor in its growing popularity.
The domestic market now features significant competition, as evidenced by the top charts. Among the five most downloaded free apps, three are AI-powered chatbots. ByteDance Ltd.’s Doubao is also among the leading apps, joining Tencent’s Yuanbao and DeepSeek in capturing user attention in the burgeoning AI market. The trend underscores a growing adoption of AI-driven tools by Chinese consumers. This evolution hints at the growing importance of AI technologies in the daily lives of citizens in China.
