I. QQ: The Internet Ticket
Tencent has never been the first innovative risk-taker. In the Internet era, Sina, Sohu, and NetEase were known as the "Big Three Portals". At this time, there were also players like 8848 and Baidu.
Tencent noticed the foreign instant messaging software ICQ and developed QICQ based on it, later renamed QQ. Ma Huateng established the definition of Internet value: connecting information and people.
QQ, through technological innovation and continuous introduction of new features such as QQ Show, QQ Groups, and QQ Space, met users' potential social needs and improved user experience. Eventually, QQ became the only super application of the Internet era.
II. WeChat: The Mobile Internet Ticket
As the mobile Internet era arrived, various concepts emerged. Kik, a social software based on mobile phone contacts, quickly became popular.
Lei Jun was the first to notice Kik and developed "MiTalk". Ma Huateng gave Zhang Xiaolong's team greater freedom and resources to quickly develop "Weiyoujian", later renamed "WeChat".
WeChat fully utilized Tencent's massive user base and opened the "mobile phone contact import" function. WeChat eventually became a super platform and is one of the infrastructures of China's mobile Internet.
III. AI Ticket, Is Tencent Ready?
In the AI field, Tencent's Hunyuan large model and Tencent Yuanbao have less buzz than other big tech companies. However, Tencent has already made many behind-the-scenes arrangements:
- Tencent leads globally in the number of generative AI patents.
- Tencent is one of the earliest representative companies in domestic open-source collaboration.
- Tencent's internal code repository open-source rate has remained above 80% for four consecutive years.
However, whether the open-source model or closed-source model is optimal in the AI field is still undecided. Both OpenAI and Baidu's Wenxin chose the closed-source model.
Whether Tencent can secure another ticket in the AI technological revolution remains a question worth watching.