QuestMobile Releases Latest Rankings: AI Plug-ins Explode Behind Social Platforms "Breakthrough"! Latest AI Search Usage Rates: Baidu 9.6%, Quark 56.0%, Weibo AI Wisdom 3.8%

Since the beginning of the year, DeepSeek has driven the domestic large model craze, and AI has quickly engulfed the entire Chinese internet internet. Not only those with Chatbot-based AI native applications, but also social media, shopping, audio, and other traditional apps have gradually incorporated large model capabilities. Amid intense competition, the AI track has become a red sea.

Recently, QuestMobile released its 2025 half-year report on AI application market trends. The data shows that AI applications have developed rapidly, forming a "four-tier" application structure: the first tier consists of AI search engines and comprehensive assistants, already leading the pack; the second tier is composed of AI social interaction and professional consultants; the third tier includes AI efficiency offices and image processing; and the fourth tier covers AI creative design, writing, and education.

In the AI application market, the current mainstream application forms are threefold: native AI applications, web-based AI applications, and plug-in-shaped AI applications. Among them, web-based AI applications are restricted by usage scenarios and experiences, with growth gradually stagnating. While native AI applications have developed rapidly, they face increased market competition and higher customer acquisition costs after experiencing explosive growth.

Under these circumstances, plug-in-shaped AI applications began to rise. QuestMobile's latest report shows that as of June 2025, the number of users for "mobile-end - app plugin" was 6.3 billion, while the number of users for "mobile-end - native apps" was 5.7 billion, and the number of users for "PC web applications" was 1.8 billion, compared to a decrease of 0.2 billion and 0.3 billion respectively from March.

The growth of "app plugins" reflects users' tendency to adopt "scene-based tools" and their deep-seated demand for stable output results. Once AI plug-ins are deeply integrated into the workflow of leading companies and continue to produce stable results, they become a top priority, such as Baidu AI search with a usage rate of 9.6%, Quark AI search with a usage rate of 56.0%, and Weibo AI wisdom with a usage rate of 3.8%.

AI plug-ins are able to rapidly rise due to their "lightweight" and "scene-based" nature. Compared to native AI applications, AI plug-ins do not require separate downloading and installation, allowing users to call upon AI functions at any time during the use of original apps, with minimal barriers and costs.

For app developers, integrating AI plug-ins also has numerous benefits. On one hand, this can bring new experiences to users, enhancing their affection for products and stickiness; on the other hand, the cost of developing AI plug-ins is lower, and they can be quickly launched, helping products seize the initiative in the intense market competition.

Now, pluginization has become an important trend in AI application development. Under this trend, numerous traditional apps are rushing to incorporate AI plug-ins, attempting to leverage AI's power to achieve a "second growth curve," with Weibo being one such example. As early as 2024, Weibo launched its own AI search product - Weibo Wisdom Search - under the impetus of AI big model technology reform. In February this year, Weibo also became the first to integrate DeepSeek-R1 large models, significantly boosting the AI capabilities of Weibo Wisdom Search.

In this latest report, it can be seen that among the top 10 apps with monthly active users exceeding 10 million, Qbot (QQ Browser) and AI-powered Weibo Wisdom (Weibo) have both demonstrated rapid growth, sharing a commonality: platform leveraging, scenario revolution, and scenario fusion.

On the other hand, AI application monthly user usage frequency directly represents users' stickiness to AI products. Quark's search box upgrade has yielded significant results, with content-driven Weibo finding specific scenarios where search is driven. For example, Quark AI search has a monthly average usage frequency of 64.9 times, while Weibo Wisdom Search lags behind at 36.6 times.

As China's leading social media platform, Weibo has a massive user base. In May this year, Weibo's monthly active users reached 599 million, with daily active users reaching 265 million. With such a large flow of traffic, it provides a solid foundation for the promotion and growth of Weibo Wisdom Search. When Weibo Wisdom Search opens to all users, a huge number of Weibo users quickly become attracted to this function, becoming loyal users of Weibo Wisdom Search. Among AI application plug-in user scales, AI-powered Weibo Wisdom had a 6-month compound growth rate of 41.7%, with MAU approaching 61 million.

Weibo Wisdom Search's explosive growth is jointly created by its powerful AI capabilities, deep integration with the platform ecosystem, and the platform's flow support. The success of Weibo Wisdom Search also provides precious experience for other traditional apps to integrate AI plug-ins.