China's Top AI Apps Revealed in Latest Industry Report

The battle for dominance in China's booming artificial intelligence market has produced clear frontrunners, according to newly released data from research firm Quest Mobile. Their "Core Report on the Development of AI Applications in 2025" shows ByteDance's Doubao leading the pack among monthly active users.

The Top Performers

Rounding out the top five after Doubao are:

• DeepSeek
• Yuanbao
• Ant Afu (Ant Group's health-focused AI)
• Alibaba Qwen

The rankings reveal an interesting split between general-purpose AI assistants and specialized tools. While six of the top ten apps offer broad functionality, four cater to specific needs - suggesting users increasingly want AI that excels at particular tasks rather than just being "jack of all trades."

Rising Stars and Corporate Dominance

Ant Group made waves with its late 2024 entry Lingguang cracking the top ten within months of launch. But perhaps more impressive was Ant Afu's rapid ascent - the health specialist reached fifth place just six months after its June 2025 debut.

The report underscores how two tech giants currently dominate China's AI app ecosystem. Between them, ByteDance and Alibaba account for six of the top ten positions:

ByteDance offerings:

• Doubao (1st)
• Doubao Aixue
• Ji Meng AI

Alibaba/Ant products:

• Ant Afu (4th)
• Qwen (5th)
• Lingguang

What This Means for Users

The findings suggest we're entering a new phase where simply having "AI" features isn't enough - consumers want tools tailored to their specific needs. Whether it's learning assistance, health advice or creative support, specialization appears to be winning over generic chatbots.

The rapid adoption of newer entrants like Ant Afu also shows there's still room for innovation despite the dominance of major players. As one industry analyst noted: "When an app solves a real pain point exceptionally well, users will flock to it regardless of when it launched."

Key Points:

• Doubao leads China's AI app market by active users
• Specialized apps gaining ground against general assistants
• ByteDance and Alibaba control majority of top spots
• Health-focused Ant Afu achieved fastest growth
• Newcomers can still disrupt established players