# Tencent Scientist Says AI Products May Matter More Than Models

By Simon Yoon

Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/technology/52449
Published: 2026-11-09T17:23:19.000Z
Updated: 2026-11-09T17:23:19.000Z
Section: Technology

> He used WeChat to illustrate how access to users’ schedules and social ties could help an AI service remain difficult to replace.

Personal context could make an AI service harder to replace than raw model strength, Tencent chief AI scientist 姚顺雨 argued during a 2026 Future Science Prize discussion.

Asked how AI model companies can defend their positions, he pointed to a hypothetical AI feature inside WeChat. The service may not need the strongest model if it can use users’ schedules and social relationships, he said. A competitor with a stronger model could still have difficulty replacing a service that can draw on that context.

张亚勤, who raised the question, said this reasoning could mean Anthropic may not merit a future valuation of $1 trillion to $2 trillion.

姚顺雨 currently oversees Tencent’s foundation model division.