Tencent is rolling out a new back-to-school AI program aimed at making its productivity tools more accessible to the education community. The initiative, launching today, provides free credits to both university students and active teachers across China to support their academic and administrative work.
Under the terms of the program, undergraduate students enrolled at any regular higher education institution in mainland China (excluding Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan) can claim 1,000 free credits until October 31, 2026. To receive the credits, students must verify their status through the official WorkBuddy mini-program activity page. Concurrently, active teachers at all levels and types of schools who complete their identity verification through the Ministry of Education's "China Teacher" mini-program by September 30, 2026, are also eligible for the same 1,000-credit grant.
These credits are designed to cover a range of high-frequency scenarios for both students and faculty, including research inquiries, exam preparation support, employment consultations, and teaching and office tasks. By providing this allowance, Tencent aims to help users leverage AI to significantly boost their efficiency in these areas.
The initiative builds on the momentum of the "Treasure Campus Skill Competition," which was held over the summer. The competition attracted 874 student developers from 416 universities, who used natural language to create 1,176 campus-specific "Skills." These practical tools include faculty knowledge bases, course selection guides, and laboratory entry manuals, all designed to help new students acclimate to college life more quickly.
From September through October, the "Tencent WorkBuddy Campus Open Day" will visit 100 universities across the country. These events will feature AI-themed experiential activities and distribute welcome packages to new students. Attendees will have the opportunity to test AI's practical functions in learning, daily life, and job hunting, bringing AI assistance directly into everyday campus life.
To further assist educators and learners, WorkBuddy has introduced a suite of "Back-to-School" AI experts. These cover a wide spectrum of campus needs throughout the four-year university journey, such as exam planning, classroom note-taking, thesis writing, job search sprints, career path decisions, and computer troubleshooting. The suite also includes "Skill Artisans" designed to help students automate repetitive workflows, enabling them to integrate into campus life faster, boost personal productivity, and spark creativity and critical thinking for future competitiveness.
In partnership with Tencent Penguin Teacher Assistant, WorkBuddy is now offering 33 experts and 15 plug-and-play teaching Skills. These are tailored for lesson preparation, teaching research, student performance tracking, and parent-teacher communication.
Finally, WorkBuddy has launched the "AI Pioneer Teacher Incentive Plan" to recognize and empower innovative educators. This plan provides benefits such as AI credit incentives, practical skills training, professional community engagement, product co-creation opportunities, and a platform for knowledge sharing. Teachers who demonstrate strong connectivity and creativity will be certified as "WorkBuddy Nova Teacher Ambassadors." Their high-quality Skills and expert profiles will be prioritized for launch on the WorkBuddy platform, supporting a transition from simple AI adoption to a true transformation of the classroom and establishing them as leading digital educators.