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Tencent Cloud has used a youth development forum in Hong Kong to outline how its AI platform tools are being deployed to help young people across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area build technical skills and explore career opportunities in the AI space.
Speaking at the 8th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Youth New Opportunities Forum, the cloud division of Tencent highlighted two of its AI products, CodeBuddy and WorkBuddy, as examples of how the technology is lowering barriers to entry for people without traditional technical backgrounds.
The forum, organised by the Institute of Accountants Exchange, brought together representatives from government, business, academia and the professions alongside young talent from across the Greater Bay Area to discuss development trends and youth career pathways in the region.
AI Tools Moving Beyond Technical Roles
Central to Tencent Cloud’s pitch is the idea that AI-driven tools are expanding access to capabilities that previously required deep technical expertise.
CodeBuddy, the company’s AI-assisted coding tool, was originally built for software engineers. However, Tencent Cloud reports that more than 10,000 Tencent employees without a technical background have since adopted it, using the tool to turn ideas into functional applications without needing programming skills.
The company positions this as a shift that has practical implications for younger workers, giving them the ability to gain hands-on experience earlier in their careers.
WorkBuddy, Tencent Cloud’s desktop AI agent, takes a different approach. It functions as what the company describes as a “digital colleague,” handling tasks such as research, data analysis and cross-platform operations so that users can focus on higher-value work like decision-making.
Beyond individual productivity, WorkBuddy allows users to package proven workflows and professional knowledge into shareable “Skills” that can be distributed across a team. Tencent Cloud frames this as a way for organisations to retain institutional knowledge even as staff turnover occurs.
Market Growth Projections
The broader trend of AI agent adoption is backed by market data, according to the company.
Research firm, Grand View Research, projects the global AI agent market will grow from US$7.63 billion in 2025 to US$182.97 billion by 2033, representing a compound annual growth rate of 49.6 per cent.
In China, adoption of AI agents is expected to exceed 90 per cent by 2030, underscoring how rapidly the technology is being integrated into business operations and daily workflows.
Building A ‘Future Team’
Vice President of Marketing at Tencent Cloud and Smart Industries Group, Freda Xu, used the forum to argue that AI is reshaping how the next generation learns, creates and leads.
“As AI agents and intelligent productivity tools mature, work that once required large teams or years of experience is becoming increasingly accessible,” Xu remarked. “These tools free people from repetitive and time-consuming tasks so they can focus on higher-value work such as analysis, judgment and decision-making, while giving young people the opportunity to gain hands-on experience earlier in their careers.”
Xu added that AI should be viewed not just as an efficiency tool but as a driver of innovation and leadership development.
“By harnessing AI technologies, young people can build their own ‘future teams’, unlock their creative potential, develop leadership and collaboration skills, and confidently embrace the new opportunities presented by the digital era,” she continued.
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Greater Bay Area Advantages
Xu also pointed to the structural advantages available to young people in the Greater Bay Area, citing its internationally connected legal and business environment, globally connected financial system and mature professional services ecosystem across the Asia-Pacific region.
However, she stressed that technical capability alone is not enough.
Xu emphasised that amid the changes brought about by new technology, what matters is the ability to use it to create value. Capabilities such as international perspective, business acumen and strategic thinking, along with responsibility, collaboration and empathy, remain strengths that AI cannot replicate, she argued.
Hackathon Series Draws Thousands
Tencent Cloud is also investing in hands-on AI skills development through its Tencent Cloud Hackathon developer challenge series, which launched this year.
The competition features themes including support for individuals with high-functioning autism, silver technology and game creation. Participants are encouraged to use AI tools including CodeBuddy, WorkBuddy and Miora to build games, animation and AI agents, turning ideas into practical solutions.
The competition spans Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong and Macau SARs as well as Southeast Asia, and has attracted more than 10,000 developers from around the world, generating over 1,000 submissions.
A Hong Kong and Macau Demo Day and judging event is scheduled for August 18 at Inno Space in Hong Kong. Winning teams from the Hong Kong and Macau region will advance to the Tencent Cloud Hackathon Global Grand Final, where they will present alongside young innovators from other regions.
Ongoing Investment
Tencent Cloud has indicated it will continue working with partners across education, the developer community and enterprise to support AI skills development in the Greater Bay Area.
The company also flagged ongoing investment in its AI ecosystem, including its Tencent Hunyuan large model, which it intends to use as the foundation for providing developers with models, platforms and infrastructure.
Pictured: Freda Xu, Vice President of Marketing, Tencent Cloud and Smart Industries Group.
Last Updated on August 10, 2026 by Nick Ross
