WB(US:WB) Xin Lang Ke Ji·2025-08-05 10:54Core Insights - The AI application market in China is rapidly evolving, with a significant shift towards plugin-based AI applications, reflecting user preferences for lightweight and scenario-based tools [1][2][3] Group 1: Market Overview - The AI application market has formed four tiers: the first tier includes AI search engines and comprehensive assistants, the second tier consists of AI social interaction and professional advisors, the third tier includes AI efficiency tools and image processing, while the fourth tier encompasses AI creative design, copywriting, and educational applications [1] - As of June 2025, the user base for mobile app plugins reached 630 million, while native app users were at 570 million, and PC web applications had 180 million users, indicating a shift in user engagement towards plugins [2] Group 2: Plugin Application Growth - The rise of AI application plugins is attributed to their lightweight and scenario-based nature, allowing users to access AI functionalities without separate installations, thus lowering usage barriers [2][3] - Major applications like Qbot and Weibo's AI search have shown significant growth, with Weibo's AI search achieving a compound growth rate of 41.7% and a monthly active user count of nearly 61 million [6][8] Group 3: Developer Benefits - Integrating AI plugins offers developers new user experiences, enhances product appeal, and reduces development costs, allowing for quicker market entry [3] - The trend of plugin integration is seen as a strategy for traditional apps to achieve a "second growth curve," with Weibo being a notable example of leveraging AI for enhanced user engagement [3][6] Group 4: User Engagement Metrics - The average monthly usage frequency of AI applications indicates user engagement, with Quark AI search showing 64.9 uses per user, while Weibo's AI search reached 36.6 uses [4]