23 Daily — According to 36kr.com, on November 12, 2026, Tencent officially launched Yuanbao Search, opening it to general users and setting it as the default search engine in the new version of QQ Browser. Yuanbao Search integrates large model technology and multi-source content to enhance the user query experience, marking Tencent's renewed effort to compete in the default search entry market.
Yuanbao Search Leverages Large Model AI and Multi-Source Content Integration
The technological foundation of Yuanbao Search is derived from Tencent's earlier search services opened to developers and enterprises. It features a web index at the scale of hundreds of billions and partnerships with 157 data sources across 13 industries. The service integrates content from platforms such as WeChat Official Accounts, Video Accounts, and Tencent News. Its large model AI participates in all phases including query understanding, webpage judgment, retrieval, ranking, and answer generation. Users can view AI-generated summaries first, then consult original sources or ask follow-up questions. For example, in healthcare queries, professional medical institutions provide foundational knowledge, public account articles offer interpretive content, and doctor videos give another explanatory dimension, together helping users comprehensively understand issues.
Maintaining Traditional Web Search with Clear Advertising Separation to Preserve Quality
While AI chat assistants have taken over simple query tasks, Tencent believes that verification from original sources, accessing official websites, and reviewing diverse viewpoints still require traditional web pages. Therefore, Yuanbao Search maintains the conventional web search format. Additionally, it emphasizes clear separation between differentiated content and advertising. Ads use independent retrieval paths and are visually segregated from natural search results, preventing commercial content from interfering with organic ranking. The team applies content understanding models to identify and filter soft ads and marketing articles, aiming to balance commercial value and user experience.
Tencent’s Dual-Brand Approach Amid Market Challenges
Tencent merged its Soso search business into Sogou in 2013 and fully acquired Sogou in 2021. With Yuanbao Search's launch, Tencent keeps the Sogou brand to serve users accustomed to stable habits, while Yuanbao targets users willing to try new experiences. According to the 57th China Internet Development Statistics Report, as of December 2025, China’s search engine user base was approximately 782 million—declining but still massive. The Yuanbao team acknowledges the challenge of persuading users to switch default search engines, requiring differentiated products and experiences to secure user retention.
Editor's take: Opportunities and Validation Paths for Yuanbao Search
Yuanbao Search demonstrates great potential by harnessing powerful large models and Tencent’s rich content ecosystem to improve search experience. For entrepreneurs, the integration of diverse data sources with AI-generated summaries highlights a pathway for future search products to deepen user engagement and satisfaction. Ways to validate this model include tracking user retention and revisit rates after initial switches to Yuanbao, analyzing the impact of various content types on user decision-making, and observing the effectiveness of the ad and organic result separation strategy in real-world scenarios. These metrics can help market participants assess how AI-powered search reshapes user query habits and business models.