The race for supremacy in artificial intelligence in China took a new turn this week. Two technology giants, Tencent and Baidu, announced the integration of the AI model DeepSeek into their search services – a strategic move that promises to redefine the online search market and accelerate the technological war against global rivals.
Weixin Embraces External Intelligence in Unprecedented Move
Tencent’s messaging app Weixin is testing a feature that allows searches based on the DeepSeek-R1, a model that recently surpassed ChatGPT in global downloads. The decision is noteworthy as it breaks with the tradition of prioritizing internal solutions – like the Hunyuan model developed by Tencent itself.
Internal sources reveal that the integration goes further: the Tencent Cloud AI Code Assistant and the Yuanbao (corporate virtual assistant) will also receive upgrades with technology from the startup. The goal is clear: to provide more accurate and contextualized responses for 1.38 billion users while cutting operational costs by up to 90%, according to recent benchmarks.
Baidu Strikes Back with Radical Openness
Not to be outdone, Baidu announced the full integration of its search engine with DeepSeek, alongside its proprietary model Ernie. The strategy includes two game-changing moves for the market:
- Free access to the Ernie Bot starting April 1
- Open source for the next generation of the model, expected in June
This double play – clearly influenced by the success of the open-source DeepSeek-R1 – has already led to a 12% jump in the company’s shares in Hong Kong. Analysts see this as an attempt to regain lost ground to rivals like ByteDance’s Doubao, which outperformed Ernie in engagement last quarter.
The Geopolitical Earthquake of “Made in China” AI
While Western giants battle in court over copyright issues related to AI models, China is rewriting the rules of the game. The mass adoption of DeepSeek by Tencent, Baidu, Huawei, and ByteDance has created an unprecedented collaborative ecosystem – where even direct competitors share AI infrastructure.
The result? A quantum leap in productivity: developers can now deploy advanced models in 2 minutes, without the need for specialized hardware or engineering teams. For startups, this means reducing initial costs by up to 80%, according to reports from Tencent Cloud.
The Paradox of Chinese Open Source
The open-sourcing of DeepSeek-R1 has sent shockwaves globally. While Western companies fear the “democratization” of sensitive technologies, China is reaping the benefits:
- 40% reduction in AI inference costs in 3 months
- 140 markets captured by the DeepSeek mobile app
- 17% drop in Nvidia’s shares in January
This strategic move has transformed DeepSeek into a centerpiece in the new technological cold war – proof that disruptive innovation can emerge from collaborative models, not just from patent disputes.
When Rivals Become Allies
The integration of DeepSeek by Tencent and Baidu marks more than just a technological upgrade: it symbolizes a philosophical shift in the industry. By embracing external solutions and open source, these giants are creating a new paradigm – where cooperation accelerates innovation faster than traditional competition.
