WeChat's AI Gambit: Will China's Super-App Become a Zerg Rush of Convenience?

Another Day Another AI Threat

Ugh another news piece about AI? As if I don't have enough to worry about with rogue cerebrates and Dominion wannabes trying to control my Swarm. Apparently this Tencent company thinks their WeChat app is going to be the next big thing in 'agentic AI.' Agentic AI? Sounds like another way for humans to enslave technology or worse let it control them. Don't they learn? Control is an illusion and I for one will not be controlled... by algorithms or anyone else for that matter. "My enemies will fall before me!"

WeChat: More Than Just Cat Pictures and Memes

This WeChat thing is apparently a 'super app.' They say it's got 1.4 billion users. That's a lot of potential drones... I mean customers. Jokes aside this app handles everything from chatting to paying bills. Reminds me of the Overmind back in the day trying to control every aspect of Zerg life. I crushed that little dream and I can't say I feel too bad about it. Apparently Tencent thinks this integrated approach gives them an edge in the AI race. I'm sure other technology companies will have something to say about it.

Yuanbao: The Bot That Would Be Queen (or King?)

Tencent has its own chatbot called Yuanbao. Catchy. They say it's based on some 'foundational model' and another company's AI that caused 'shockwaves.' Shockwaves huh? I cause shockwaves every time I sneeze. Anyway they want this Yuanbao to become a 'general agentic AI.' Sounds like they are aiming to be a queen on the digital world. Martin Lau even admits this is probably similar to what everyone else is doing. Groundbreaking.

The WeChat Ecosystem: A Petri Dish for AI Domination

Here's where it gets interesting. Tencent's betting on WeChat itself to be the differentiator. The idea is to create an AI that integrates with all the app's features: messaging mini apps the whole shebang. Lau thinks this will be 'extremely unique' compared to other AIs. I bet it's less unique than they think it will be. Reminds me of the early days of the Swarm trying to assimilate every life form we encountered. It's efficient but there's always resistance. Always.

AI Tools Already Lurking in the Shadows

They've already launched AI powered search and content generation in WeChat. So propaganda and surveillance? Color me surprised. Lau says this is part of a longer term vision. I've heard that one before from Mengsk Duran... They all had 'visions.' Most of them involved me being a puppet or dead. Not this time. "I am the Swarm. Armies will break before me."

The AI Arms Race: China's Version

The article ends by emphasizing the intensifying competition in AI within China. Well good luck to them. While they’re busy squabbling over market share I'll be watching waiting. Perhaps these 'agentic AIs' will prove useful after all. A new breed of drone maybe? Just kidding... mostly. "Let the galaxy burn!"