China and Japan AI Apps: Doubao, Kimi, DeepSeek, LINE — 2026-10-26
China’s AI app landscape saw significant shifts this week with QuestMobile data confirming ByteDance’s Doubao as the dominant force with 419 million monthly active users, while Alibaba’s Qwen surged in growth. Meanwhile, Chinese authorities clarified that major AI firms like DeepSeek and MiniMax are cleared for global commercial use, easing export control fears. In Japan, generative AI adoption crossed the 50% threshold among adults, with new surveys highlighting how AI recommendations influence consumer purchasing decisions.
China and Japan AI Apps: Doubao, Kimi, DeepSeek, LINE — 2026-10-26
Top developments
Doubao Maintains Massive Lead as Qwen Surges
QuestMobile’s September 2026 data, released around October 20, confirms ByteDance’s Doubao remains the top AI-native app in China with 419 million monthly active users (MAU), a year-over-year increase of 143.6%. Alibaba’s Qwen (Qianwen) secured the second spot, showing the highest growth rate in the sector at 5,076.6% YoY. DeepSeek held the third position with 120 million MAU, though it faced a year-over-year decline. Tencent’s Yuanbao and Ant Group’s Afu rounded out the top five. This data underscores the "Matthew effect" in China’s AI market, where top apps are consolidating user attention despite intense competition.
China Clarifies AI Export Rules for DeepSeek and MiniMax
On October 23, state media-affiliated entities reported that China’s DeepSeek and MiniMax have secured approval for global AI use, effectively clarifying that commercialization efforts can continue as usual. This announcement follows rumors of stricter export controls on AI technology. The clarification is critical for international developers and enterprises relying on Chinese open-weight models, as it reduces regulatory uncertainty. Bloomberg noted that while China and the US are restricting each other’s tech, Chinese labs continue to open-source models to maintain global influence.
DeepSeek Raises $15 Billion, Kimi Launches K3.1 Pro
DeepSeek is reported to have raised approximately $15 billion in a new funding round, signaling continued massive investment in Chinese AI infrastructure. Concurrently, Moonshot AI launched its Kimi K3.1 Pro model, and DeepSeek released DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash. These updates highlight the rapid pace of model iteration among Chinese labs. The funding and new releases are part of a broader trend where Chinese AI models are capturing significant developer traffic; between January and August 2026, Chinese models seized 55% of all enterprise token traffic on Vercel’s developer gateway, up from 11% seven months prior.
Japanese AI Adoption Crosses 50% Threshold
In Japan, a survey by the Japan Research Center revealed that 56.3% of adults aged 20–69 have used generative AI as of June 2026, marking the first time adoption exceeded 50% since the survey began in 2023. This milestone indicates that generative AI is moving from early adopters to mainstream consumer utility in Japan. The data suggests that services like ChatGPT, Gemini, and potentially local integrations are becoming standard tools for daily tasks.
Local view
China: Price Wars End, Prices Rise
Chinese tech media is reporting a shift in the AI market’s economic dynamics. The China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) released a report on October 23 stating that the average price of domestic large model services doubled in 2026, rising nearly 100%. This marks the end of the intense "price war" phase that characterized the previous two years, as labs move toward monetization and higher-value services. Additionally, discussions on platforms like V2EX and Sina Weibo highlight user sentiment, with some developers arguing that DeepSeek is "deified" while others point to Doubao’s superior user base and ecosystem integration.
Japan: AI Influences Consumer Choices
Japanese media and research firms are focusing on the commercial impact of generative AI. A survey by NEXER Group found that 45.3% of consumers use AI answers as a deciding factor for purchases or contracts. Furthermore, 80.4% of respondents stated that AI recommendations led them to consider new products. This suggests that AI is becoming a critical channel for consumer goods marketing in Japan, with companies like Rakuten and LINE likely integrating deeper AI-driven recommendation engines to capture this behavior.
Context & numbers
- MAU Rankings (China, Sept 2026): Doubao (419M), Qwen (170M), DeepSeek (120M), Yuanbao (Tencent), Ant Afu.
- Growth Rates: Qwen saw a YoY growth of 5,076.6%; Doubao grew 143.6% YoY.
- Japan Adoption: 56.3% of Japanese adults (20–69) have used generative AI.
- China Model Pricing: Average service prices for domestic large models doubled in 2026 compared to previous years.
- Global Developer Traffic: Chinese AI models accounted for 55% of enterprise token traffic on Vercel’s gateway in 2026.
On the radar
- DeepSeek Funding Closure: Watch for official confirmation of the reported $15 billion funding round, which could reshape the valuation landscape for Chinese AI startups.
- Export Control Updates: Monitor further clarifications from China’s Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Science and Technology regarding the specific restrictions in the updated "Catalogue of Technologies Prohibited or Restricted from Export," particularly concerning AI algorithms and chips.
- Japanese AI User Trends: ValueDomains' report on "heavy user" trends among Japanese 20s and 30s suggests a shift toward specialized AI services beyond ChatGPT and Gemini; upcoming data may reveal which niche apps are gaining traction.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
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