A recent report from the authoritative third-party data firm QuestMobile, titled "Core Report on the Development of the AI Application Layer in 2025," provides a comprehensive review of the evolving landscape of China's AI application market over the past year. The report indicates that against a backdrop of increasing homogenization in underlying technologies, the competitive paradigm for AI has shifted entirely from an internal "model competition" to an external "ecosystem expansion."

Notably, while standalone native apps have attracted significant attention recently through high-profile "red envelope battles," the "application plugin" (In-App AI) model, championed by leading internet platforms, is emerging as the core driver of daily AI experiences for netizens. This model leverages massive existing user bases and inherent scenario advantages. Among these, Weibo Zhisao recorded a monthly active user (MAU) count exceeding 66 million in December 2025, with a compound growth rate of 18.1%. Within the top 10 application plugins by MAU, Weibo Zhisao ranked first in terms of compound growth rate.

All four categories of AI applications showed全面提升 in user activity, with the In-App AI sector approaching 700 million users. According to QuestMobile data, as of December 2025, user activity increased across all four domestic AI application categories. The "application plugin" (In-App AI) user base reached 696 million, making it the most widely accessed form of AI. Meanwhile, native apps maintained a strong compound growth rate.

This divergence in application forms reflects the industry's "multi-track" strategy for AI entry points. The report states that native apps are positioned by many platforms as the future "master gateway" and "platform layer." Conversely, application plugins have become the optimal solution for solidifying "scenario entry points" and the "functional layer." They deeply integrate AI capabilities into high-frequency workflows like social interaction, e-commerce, and information consumption, thereby enhancing efficiency and user retention within these familiar apps. Data confirms the effectiveness of the plugin model in cultivating user habits: in December 2025, the average number of monthly uses per person for application plugins surged by 229.8% compared to January, far exceeding the 80.1% increase for native apps. This suggests that "casually accessing AI" within familiar, existing scenarios is becoming a frequent and stable user habit.

AI search leads the breakout in key sectors: Weibo Zhisao surpasses 66 million MAU, leading growth among peers. Among all AI implementation scenarios, "search" has been validated as the most mature and high-frequency entry point, experiencing intense competition in 2025. The report shows that among the "Top 10 Application Plugins by Active User Size in December 2025," six applications belong to the AI search engine sector.

Weibo Zhisao, with 66.35 million MAU, ranked 8th on this list. More impressive is its growth momentum: among the top 10 plugins by December MAU, Weibo Zhisao achieved the highest compound growth rate of 18.1%. Its user ranking also jumped 15 places, demonstrating exceptionally strong breakout potential among products of similar scale.

The report highlights that Weibo Zhisao's high-speed growth and breakout success prove that even in mature sectors, identifying the right niche can disrupt the existing landscape and achieve significant ranking improvements.

The shift from model competition to ecosystem barriers: Plugins build strategic defenses. The report concludes that as underlying technologies mature and become more homogeneous, the key paradigm shift in 2025 AI competition moved from internal "model competition" to external "ecosystem expansion." The critical factors for corporate competition and commercial success now lie directly in product quality, user experience, ecosystem strength, and user reach capabilities. Simply competing on technical specifications has become less meaningful; the ability to leverage authentic industry data and user scenarios is now the decisive factor for successful AI application deployment.

In this trend, irreplicable data ecosystems become crucial for creating differentiated growth advantages. Using Weibo as an example, as China's largest social media platform, it aggregates vast amounts of real-time celebrity updates, frontline media information, and genuine user discussions (UGC). This dynamically updated "live data" constitutes the core underlying barrier for Weibo Zhisao when handling tasks like tracing hot topics, aggregating viewpoints, and analyzing public sentiment.

Furthermore, the report emphasizes the significance of the battle for AI entry points in terms of "strategic defense," which is essentially a contest for control over the next generation of internet traffic distribution and commercial monetization rights. By deeply embedding Zhisao into its content ecosystem, Weibo not only enhances the efficiency for users to obtain authentic information but also effectively strengthens its own core traffic base.

Overall, the industry's reality is that AI development has entered a deep-water zone. The divergent development paths of native apps and application plugins confirm the different strategic choices based on varying business DNA. Looking ahead, the core challenge for companies will be determining how to build higher ecosystem barriers based on native scenarios in an era of "technological parity," which will be fundamental to defining their AI commercial value.