There is actually no need to connect WeChat search to DeepSeek-R1!

WeChat search announced that it will be connected to DeepSeek-R1 and start grayscale testing ! As soon as the news came out, the technology circle was boiling. But as an old driver who often deals with AI, I want to pour a basin of cold water: this time WeChat search is connected to DeepSeek-R1, it is not necessary!

Let's first review some key information about the WeChat search update that integrates DeepSeek-R1. Currently, only some users can experience this feature in grayscale . It is integrated into the search box at the top of WeChat and can call up content within the WeChat ecosystem.

Current features and limitations include:

1. The answer comes with a complete reasoning process
2. The result can be directly forwarded to friends/group chats
3. Continuous conversations and history records are not currently supported

Why do you say "it's not necessary"?

Location issues

This is actually very easy to understand. Think about it, what do you usually do with the search box at the top of WeChat? Most of the time, you search for chat records, search for public accounts, or find a small program.

To be honest, the scenario where a long paragraph of text is typed into this small fixed-width search box may be less than 1%. I believe that most people's operating habits should still be to use keywords to search like using a search engine.

The most powerful aspect of DeepSeek-R1 lies in its deep thinking ability.

To get deep thinking results, you have to think about how to provide deep materials and ask questions.

DeepSeek-R1 is positioned as a patient think tank. You need to describe your needs in detail before it can really play its true power. Otherwise, you can just use other models from DeepSeek.

Putting it in a search box where users are accustomed to only entering a few keywords is like limiting a writer who can write long articles to writing sticky notes. Therefore, WeChat search can actually only be limited to simple networking + search.

Data dilemma

According to Tencent's official statement, WeChat does not retain users' session records on the server.

The meaning behind this sentence is intriguing. Unless Tencent wants to "slap the other on the left cheek", the data range that DeepSeek-R1 can call will actually be very limited. Basically, AI search is limited to WeChat's own ecological content circle, because once it involves the call of any personal chat records, then this information will inevitably be handed over to the big model for processing. The more links and processes there are, the more difficult it is for personal privacy and AI search integration to be compatible .

Functionality overlap

Sharp-eyed friends may have noticed that several members of the Tencent family have already connected to DeepSeek-R1. Tencent Yuanbao and QQ Music have already taken the lead, and more product lines are waiting in line for access. This kind of duplication, if DeepSeek-R1 is to be used as a productivity tool, then as an ordinary user, would you really be willing to spread the conversations across various platforms? Moreover, WeChat search currently does not support continuous conversations and historical records .

Is this another "small and beautiful" or "use it and go"?  Does a search function really need depth?  Is DeepSeek-v3 or its own Hunyuan enough?

Then can you teach Zhang Xiaolong how to make a product?!

I dare not, just briefly talk about (complain) my personal opinion:

• Instead of rushing to catch up with the AI ​​craze and get DeepSeek-R1, it is better to complete the "weight loss plan" first. Without doing anything, WeChat has accumulated 20G. Now it is like a fat man wearing a too tight suit, and his movements are becoming less and less flexible. It is too late to lose weight, so don't be greedy.

• If you must add it, please put the entrance of DeepSeek-R1 in a more appropriate place , such as next to our old friend "File Transfer Assistant". There, users can easily organize and submit long texts, with built-in history records, and mobile phones and computers can be synchronized with multiple terminals, and even multiple file formats can be submitted and images processed later. I personally think this is a real entrance to productivity.
• This is where AI integration is really needed! In fact, you can look at Slack for this: it supports intelligent instructions, automatic archiving of group chat content, and intelligent extraction of important information . For example, I have a huge pain point: the teacher assigns homework in the parent group. The key is that there are three teachers and three groups. Every day, I have to listen like waiting for an imperial decree, for fear of missing important information reminders. If the WeChat group can have an intelligent assistant to automatically organize the homework assigned by the teacher and information reminders, and help you filter out the "received" and "read" full of screens, wouldn't it be more practical and convenient than stuffing a large model in the search box?
• Open some API interfaces , even if it is only a read-only and restricted API. For example, WeChat does not want to implement the above function. We can completely use this open group API to automatically collect information in the group and report it to a designated AI robot to form a specific schedule task arrangement. Even the chat records accumulated over the years can be made into a personal chat knowledge base, a personal digital human...

at last

Instead of forcing DeepSeek-R1 into the search box, it is better to focus on solving the real pain points of users. Good product functions should be as natural as breathing, rather than being crammed in just to follow the trend.