Tencent releases its Hy Image 3.5 Preview model to catch up with rivals ByteDance and Alibaba in creating smart digital pictures.
Chinese technology and social media giant Tencent has officially launched its newest AI software program, called the Hy Image 3.5 Preview, designed to automatically generate high-quality pictures and digital artwork.
Known globally for operating the popular WeChat messaging app used by over 1 billion people, Tencent has been working hard to upgrade its computer systems so everyday users can create custom photos, design graphics, and edit video clips simply by typing plain words.
The new software rollout is built to help the Shenzhen based company close the technology gap with domestic market rivals ByteDance and Alibaba, who have led early industry efforts in consumer AI tools.
The major product launch was officially unveiled across corporate headquarters in China on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, coinciding directly with Alibaba’s annual technology conference.
Following the announcement, investor confidence spiked, driving Tencent’s shares up by more than seven percent on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
To make the new image maker immediately useful for ordinary consumers, Tencent integrated the tool directly into its Yuanbao chatbot assistant, as well as its professional movie-editing and graphic design programs.
The company is also letting creators test the software for free through early October on its digital design platforms.
The primary reason Tencent is aggressively launching new image generation tools right now is that artificial intelligence is becoming a central feature in daily phone apps.
In recent months, competing firms like ByteDance released popular photo tools that gained millions of active users. Rather than allowing competitors to capture mobile internet users, Tencent recruited top international research scientists, reorganized its internal engineering teams, and built custom software tailored for artists, video producers, and WeChat users.
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Internal testing among hundreds of professional in-house artists showed that the new tool matches the visual quality of top rival programs.
As the company is focusing on practical tools that help everyday users rather than chasing internet rating scores, Tencent Chief AI Scientist Yao Shunyu stated that the tech firm will “focus on product integration and solving real-world problems”.
Detailing why financial investors are excited about combining AI with popular messaging apps, Allspring Global Investments Portfolio Manager Gary Tan told Bloomberg that “some investors are drawing parallels between Tencent and Meta, particularly given WeChat’s unique social ecosystem and its potential to support a personal AI assistant at scale”.
Highlighting how internal design tests confirmed the new software’s strength against rival products, technology analysts reviewing the launch noted that Tencent’s internal trials showed visual outputs “on par with ByteDance’s Seedream 5.0 Pro and slightly ahead of Google’s Nano Banana Pro and Alibaba’s Qwen-Image-3.0 Pro”.
By adding advanced photo making capabilities into its WeChat network, Tencent is taking a big step forward in modern consumer technology.
Creating smart, simple software ensures that everyday users can design photos and edit videos easily on their mobile phones.
About the Author
Jennifer Sakmufuwo Baba is a tech analyst, senior staff, and writer covering artificial intelligence, cybersecurity , and emerging technologies at TechRegard. Based in Nigeria, she's passionate about translating complex tech developments into compelling, accessible stories for diverse audiences. Her work focuses on how technology shapes innovation across Africa and globally.
