Tencent and China AI stocks surge as OpenClaw fever drives new AI agent launches

Tencent, Zhipu Shares Jump on Launches of AI Agents Tapping Into OpenClaw

China's enthusiasm for OpenClaw is igniting a stock rally in local technology firms moving swiftly to embrace the open-source artificial intelligence program. Tencent Holdings Ltd. shares rose as much as 6.2% Tuesday in Hong Kong after the internet giant launched WorkBuddy, an AI agent for workplace tasks that's fully compatible with OpenClaw. Knowledge Atlas Technology JSC Ltd., known as Zhipu, surged as much as 16% after launching AutoClaw, a local version of the viral software. MiniMax Group Inc., which launched its own agent earlier, jumped 15%. Launched in November, OpenClaw is an agent that leverages large language models including Anthropic PBC's Claude to perform daily functions. The tool has garnered a cultlike status in China, and provided a fresh tailwind for the local AI boom kicked off by the launch of DeepSeek more than a year ago. "OpenClaw has created a social media buzz, with companies like Tencent encouraging everyone to install it," said Shen Meng, director of Beijing-based investment bank Chanson & Co. "It's a very good opportunity for the local AI model developers to attract users to their existing ecosystems." The AI agent has seen an exponential global popularity boom this year, surpassingBloomberg Terminal Linux on the GitHub all-time star leaderboard in just a few months. Users in China have been particularly eager to get their hands on it. Tencent offered free installation of OpenClaw on its cloud platform last week, drawing a long queue of people outside of its headquarters, according to local media. Zhipu countered in a WeChat promotion for its new AutoClaw on Tuesday, offering prospective customers a free trial without having to wait in line. The frenzy has helped drive up shares of AI model developer MiniMax nearly 600% stock since its listing just two months ago. It's now worth about $44 billion, poised to surpass Baidu Inc.'s market value. The company launched MaxClaw, an agent built on OpenClaw, in late February. Chinese software makers including UCloud Technology Co. and QingCloud Technologies Corp. extended gains after surging around 20% on Monday as local government agencies issued policies to encourage use of the OpenClaw. The involvement of Tencent is seen as key, with Citigroup Inc. hailing the launch of WorkBuddy as a "potential inflection point" for AI agents in China. It's also proving a lift for the stock, which had been battered recently by concerns over high spending and potential business disruption from the spread of AI.

China's OpenClaw-Tied Stocks Rise on Policy Support, Adoption

Regulators have adopted a cautious tone, with China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology warning that some OpenClaw deployments pose significant security risks due to default or improper configurations. Chinese companies linked to open-source AI agent software OpenClaw advanced after Shenzhen authorities offered measures to support further development of tools using the technology. Shares of UCloud Technology Co., QingCloud Technologies Corp. and Hangzhou Shunwang Technology Co. all jumped Monday by at least 9%, outperforming the mainland benchmark CSI 300 Index that fell as much as 2.4%. Shenzhen's Longgang district saidBloomberg Terminal Saturday it is seeking public feedback on a draft policy that encourages professional platforms to offer free OpenClaw deployment services and provides subsidies of up to 2 million yuan ($289,050) for application developments. China's big tech firms have also adopted the tool, creating a buzz among Internet users. OpenClaw, developed by Peter Steinberger, lets users automate tasks such as email, calendar management, and travel check‑ins. It has quickly become a dominant theme Bloomberg Terminalin Chinese AI circles, with startups including Moonshot AI and MiniMax Group Inc. introducing tools to help users host or deploy OpenClaw in hopes of turning hype into adoption of their own models. Major cloud providers Tencent Holdings Ltd., Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., and Baidu Inc. also have rolled out easy on‑ramp services for the software. Last week, Tencent offered free installation services for the AI agent on its cloud platform, according to a local media report. Meanwhile, regulators have adopted a more cautious toneBloomberg Terminal. Last month, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology warned that some OpenClaw deployments pose significant security risks due to default or improper configurations, potentially exposing systems to cyberattacks and data leaks. "OpenClaw to me is a successful case of AI implementation in real life," said Anna Wu, cross-asset investment strategist at Van Eck Associates in Sydney. "This could increase productivity and incentivize one-man firms, changing the workforce feel and shape. However, that's a little far-fetched at the moment because we need to see actual numbers of utilization rather than just downloads."

Chinese cloud stocks rise after OpenClaw policy proposal

Shares of Chinese cloud technology firms rose after Shenzhen's Longgang district sought public feedback on a draft policy to encourage tools using the open-source AI agent OpenClaw. The draft policy provides subsidies of up to 2 million yuan ($288,986) for application development and encourages professional platforms to offer free deployment services. The development highlights a direct correlation between local government incentives and stock market performance for regional technology providers. On March 9, shares of UCloud Technology Co., QingCloud Technologies Corp., and Hangzhou Shunwang Technology Co. rose by at least 9%. The gains occurred while the CSI 300 Index fell as much as 2.4%. Local startups and cloud providers, including Tencent, Alibaba, and Baidu, launched hosting and deployment tools for OpenClaw. China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology warned that some OpenClaw deployments could pose security risks due to improper configurations. Analysts stated the tool shows real-world AI adoption but cautioned that productivity claims need verification. According to Bloomberg, the draft policy in Longgang district seeks public feedback on encouraging OpenClaw usage.

China's Shenzhen backs OpenClaw AI with subsidies, despite Beijing's security concerns

Longgang district in Shenzhen is fostering an OpenClaw AI ecosystem. This initiative supports 'one-person companies' with subsidies and resources. OpenClaw, a popular AI agent, is being integrated across industries. This move aligns with national priorities for high-tech development. Regulators are also addressing security risks associated with the tool's data access. Shenzhen's Longgang district has announced measures to build an industry around OpenClaw, a fast-spreading AI agent in China, underscoring its rapid adoption even as regulators warn of security risks linked to the tool's access to personal data. OpenClaw is an open-source AI assistant created by Austrian developer Peter Steinberger that goes beyond standard chatbots, from booking flights to organising email, enabling "one-person companies" with the right permissions. The ⁠tool has ⁠surged in popularity since appearing on GitHub in November, especially in China, where new technologies are often adopted faster than many other countries. Chinese tech giant Tencent hosted a free OpenClaw setup session in Shenzhen on Friday that drew a large crowd, ranging from children to retirees. OpenClaw can be plugged into models from OpenAI, Anthropic and Chinese developers including Kimi and MiniMax. Security concerns over OpenClaw flagged Longgang, which set up China's first AI and robotics ⁠bureau last year, released draft measures on Saturday to build an OpenClaw-centred AI ecosystem and support "one-person companies." It cited a recent central government report that supported future industries such ⁠as embodied intelligence and humanoid robots. High-tech industries, a priority for Beijing amid rivalry with the United States, were highlighted at the ongoing National People's Congress, where several lawmakers have pointed to OpenClaw's rapid rise. But regulators and state media have also flagged security concerns linked to OpenClaw over the past month, underscoring Beijing's long-standing concern over cyber risks and data breaches. China has tightened data-privacy and export-control rules since 2021. Subsidies for 'One-person companies' Longgang's draft measures, open for public comment until April 6, were presented as part of an "AI plus" action plan to integrate the technology across the economy, in line with national planning priorities through 2030. The package includes subsidies and financing ⁠up to 10 million yuan ($1.4 million) for companies that build notable OpenClaw applications, free computing resources, accommodation and discounted office space for "one-person companies" based in the district. A research center under Shenzhen's municipal health commission last week ran an OpenClaw training session attended by thousands, as part of its "AI plus" strategy. Longgang also said on Sunday it was recruiting 100 beta users for its "Xuanji" smart storage device, which comes preloaded with OpenClaw. It is marketed as keeping data on a user's network rather than the cloud to boost privacy and cut computing costs.

Tencent, China AI stocks surge on optimism over AI agents By Investing.com

Investing.com-- Tencent and other major Chinese artificial intelligence stocks rose sharply on Tuesday amid increasing optimism over their forays into agentic AI similar to the wildly popular OpenClaw program. Tencent Holdings Ltd (HK:0700) jumped over 6% to a near one-month high of HK$548.0, and was also among the top boosts to the Hang Seng index, which added 1.6%. Get more updates on China's biggest AI stocks by subscribing to InvestingPro The internet giant launched a new AI agent product, WorkBuddy, this week, with the program having capabilities similar to those of OpenClaw. WorkBuddy runs locally on user computers and is able to carry out several tasks independently. Global tech companies have been racing to capitalize on the success of OpenClaw, which sparked renewed interest in agentic AI, especially programs that could run independently on user machines. Shares of MiniMax Group Inc (HK:0100) and Zhipu AI (which trades as Knowledge Atlas Tech Joint Stock (HK:2513)) also rose sharply on Tuesday as the two Chinese "AI tigers" launched their own agentic AI programs. Minimax surged 9.5%, while Zhipu added nearly 7%. Zhipu released AutoClaw, a local version of OpenClaw, on Monday, while Minimax had released MaxClaw, its own AI agent built on OpenClaw, last week. China's tech majors were also seen rushing into AI agentic technology, which is steadily being touted as the next major development for the fast-growing industry. OpenClaw gained viral success after it demonstrated the ability to break down tasks, interacting with messaging applications, searching the web, and also carrying out several other productivity tasks. But the technology has sparked concerns over wider deployments, with critics questioning the data security and privacy of locally-run AI agents.