Tencent's Yao Shunyu: AI Moats Lie More in the Product Layer Than the Model Layer

November 8: According to Yicai, Yao Shunyu, Tencent's Chief AI Scientist, responding to Zhang Ya-qin's question about "moats for model companies" during the 2026 Future Science Prize dialogue, said AI moats exist more at the product layer than at the model layer. Citing WeChat as an example, he said AI embedded in WeChat does not necessarily need the strongest model, but because it grasps information such as users' schedules and social relationships, competitors would find it hard to replace it even if they launch stronger models. Zhang Ya-qin then said that by this logic, Anthropic may not be worth $1 trillion to $2 trillion in the future. Yao Shunyu now oversees Tencent's Foundation Model Department.