3 6 Ke·2025-05-23 03:47Core Insights - The AI search market in China has become increasingly competitive, with major players like Baidu, Quark, and Tencent entering the fray, leading to a significant shift in market dynamics [1][3][6] - Quark has emerged as a strong competitor, leveraging its association with Alibaba and achieving a daily active user (DAU) count of 34 million, challenging Baidu's long-standing dominance [3][4] - 360's Nano AI search has struggled to gain traction, with its peak DAU only reaching a few million, indicating a significant gap compared to Baidu and Quark [4][8] Market Dynamics - The AI search landscape has seen a resurgence of competition reminiscent of the past, with Quark and Baidu engaging in direct rivalry, while 360's entry has not significantly impacted the market [3][4] - Tencent has officially launched its upgraded QQ browser, incorporating AI features and positioning itself as a direct competitor to Quark, further intensifying the competition among the major players [6][7] - The lack of a clear technological barrier among the major players (Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent) suggests that differentiation will be challenging, as their underlying AI models do not exhibit significant differences [7][9] Company Strategies - 360's Nano AI search is focusing on integrating with DeepSeek and building its knowledge base, but it faces challenges in gaining visibility and user engagement [4][8] - Meita AI search and Tiangong AI are struggling to maintain relevance in the competitive landscape, with Meita's functionality being limited and facing potential exclusion from the market [4][8] - Companies like Meita are pivoting towards vertical search engines in specific sectors like law and finance, attempting to carve out niche markets to survive against larger competitors [16] Future Outlook - The AI search market is expected to continue evolving, with companies needing to establish technological barriers or focus on specialized niches to remain competitive [9][16] - The emphasis on marketing and user engagement will be crucial for companies like 360 and Meita, which are currently lagging behind in user acquisition and brand recognition [18] - The industry is moving towards a more agent-based model, with the potential for new entrants to disrupt the market if they can offer unique value propositions [17][18]