Tencent (腾讯)'s Yuanbao AI changes logo — now with eyes

A more human face

Tencent (腾讯) announced that its consumer AI assistant Yuanbao (元宝) has adopted a new, more anthropomorphized logo — the original symbol with eyes added. The company said the redesign is meant to make Yuanbao "accompany you in a livelier, nimbler way" and signaled ongoing iterations of both brand visuals and product capabilities. The tweak is small. The intent is clear: make the bot feel more like a companion.

Usage spikes and heavy promotion

Yuanbao was officially launched in May 2024 as Tencent’s consumer-facing AI assistant. It has been reported that Tencent last year even added a Yuanbao download entry inside WeChat to boost uptake. During this year’s Lunar New Year campaign, Yuanbao ran a 1 billion RMB cash-red-envelope incentive; according to the company, the main campaign page saw more than 3.6 billion lottery draws and users completed over 1 billion AI tasks via the "creation" tab. QuestMobile data showed three leading consumer AI apps set DAU records over the holiday: Doubao, Qianwen and Yuanbao peaked at about 145 million, 73.5 million and 40.5 million daily active users respectively, with Qianwen posting the biggest growth. First-day per-user usage was 14.4 times for Qianwen, 12.1 for Yuanbao and about 5 for Doubao.

Why the logo change matters

Aesthetics matter in a crowded Chinese AI market where firms are vying for daily attention and emotional engagement. Branding moves — even adding eyes — are part of a broader push to humanize assistants and boost retention. This is playing out as China doubles down on software and services amid tighter Western export controls on advanced chips and heightened geopolitical scrutiny of tech. Will a friendlier icon help Tencent convert curiosity into long-term users? Only time — and usage metrics — will tell.