Kingsoft Office Launches Global AI Breakthrough Strategy: Zhang Qingyuan Deciphers New Battleground and Microsoft's "Third World" Chess Game

Kingsoft Office CEO Zhang Qingyuan: "We’re Guarding Against AI Disruption While Plotting a Revolution"

Recently, Kingsoft Office CEO Zhang Qingyuan expressed existential concerns about the office software industry in interviews with major media outlets: "We remain vigilant about the possibility of beinged by AI at any moment."

A programmer-turned-CEO who has weathered two life-or-death transitions during the PC and mobile internet eras, Zhang is now orchestrating an even more ambitious transformation in response to the AI tsunami.

Born in the DOS era, the company long operated in the shadow of Microsoft Office before overtaking rivals by pivoting to mobile internet. Its latest financial report shows WPS now serves 632 million monthly active devices, covering over 80% of the domestic market. Yet Zhangly recognizes: "AI brings not just technological迭代, but a complete of industry rules."

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Breaking the "8-2 Curse" with AI
The office software sector’s traditional "8-2 curse" — where 80% of users only utilize 20% of features — is being shattered by AI. Zhang outlined Kingsoft’s AI strategy: building content moats via AIGC, redefining interaction logic through AI Agents, and establishing a technical ecosystem via a large model alliance. Unlike Microsoft’s "heavy-model" approach, Kingsoft focuses on application-layer innovation, forging differentiated competitiveness through partnerships with China’s top AI model firms.

"AI-era competition isn’t about model parameter arms races, but implementation scenarios," Zhang revealed. Kingsoft is developing a dual-track AI system: a "STEM-focused" agent for professionals handling code generation and data analytics, and a "humanities-focused" system for mass-market content creation. This layered strategy mitigates hallucination risks while maintaining agile iteration.

Global Ambitions: From Periphery to Core
On Zhang’s strategic map, overseas markets are shifting from sidelines to key battlegrounds. While WPS’ international users recently surpassed 10 million, its 4.2% overseas revenue share hints at vast potential. "The third front beyond China and the U.S. will determine industry structure," Zhang noted, eyeing Southeast Asia and Middle Eastern markets along the Belt and Road — regions with Chinese smartphone ecosystem advantages yet distant from Microsoft’s strongholds.

Notably, Kingsoft is pioneering a "tech export" model: modularizing domestically proven AI features while leveraging Chinese large models’ cost-performance edge. This "lightweight penetration" tactic sidesteps geopolitical risks while offering experiences distinct from Microsoft Copilot.

Clashing Titans: Resilience vs. Dominance
Facing Microsoft’s $13B AI annualized revenue and global ecosystem, Zhang embodies Chinese tech firms’ characteristic resilience: "We’re not chasing short-term valuations but building a 30-year sustainable tech foundation." This long-termism manifests in monthly internet-style product updates, 80% penetration in government/enterprise markets, and over 600 AI-related patents.

Industry observers note the office software sector’s "trial by fire and ice": while AI drives 25%+ annual growth, Microsoft still monopolizes 95% of the global market. Kingsoft’s path mirrors Chinese tech’s, offering the global SaaS arena a live case of "asymmetric competition."

At the AI-globalization crossroads, Zhang charts a "deep-tech + regional" evolution for Kingsoft. As domestic AI models synergize with overseas expansion, this office software revolution may well redraw the rules of global digital productivity competition.