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Tencent WorkBuddy Gives Teachers and Students 1000 Free AI Credits

As the new semester kicks off, Tencent WorkBuddy is making a bold move to put AI tools directly into the hands of educators and students. On September 1st, the company unveiled its "Back-to-School AI Inclusive Special," a program that grants 1,000 free AI credits to college teachers and students across the country. The goal? To make AI-powered assistance a staple in higher education, from research and exam prep to essay writing and career advice.

Here's how it works: full-time undergraduate students at ordinary universities (excluding Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan) can verify their status through the official WorkBuddy WeChat mini program and instantly receive 1,000 credits. Teachers, on the other hand, can get the same perk by verifying through the Ministry of Education's "China Teacher" mini program. The offer runs until October 31, 2026, for students and September 30, 2026, for teachers.

But this isn't just about handing out freebies. The credits are designed to cover the most common pain points in academic life—think information retrieval, exam preparation, essay writing, and even career consultations. For teachers, it extends to lesson planning and administrative tasks, making the daily grind a little smoother.

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This initiative is part of a larger push to integrate AI into campus life. Over the summer, WorkBuddy's "Treasure Campus Skill Competition" drew participation from 416 universities and 874 student creators, who together generated 1,176 practical campus skills. These ranged from departmental knowledge bases to course selection guides and lab manuals—all created using natural language generation.

Building on that momentum, WorkBuddy has rolled out AI expert avatars covering fields like exam prep, job hunting, and troubleshooting. In collaboration with Tencent Penguin Teacher Assistant, they've also launched 33 expert avatars and 15 plug-and-play teaching skills, addressing everything from lesson planning to parent-teacher communication.

But the company isn't stopping at digital tools. From September to October, the "Tencent WorkBuddy Campus Open Day" will visit over 100 universities, giving students and faculty a chance to experience the platform firsthand. Additionally, the "AI Pioneer Teacher Incentive Program" aims to recognize educators who are using AI in creative ways. Selected teachers will be certified as WorkBuddy Nova Teacher Ambassadors, receiving credit incentives, practical skills training, and opportunities for professional networking and product co-creation.

What's driving all this? A belief that AI can do more than just speed things up—it can fundamentally change how teaching and learning happen. By combining computational power incentives with ecological co-construction, WorkBuddy is pushing educators beyond simple "AI-assisted efficiency" and into a space where classrooms are reimagined. The hope is to nurture a new generation of teachers and students who are not just tech-savvy but truly digitally fluent.

As generative AI continues to weave its way into education, initiatives like this could set a precedent. Whether it's helping a student ace an exam or a teacher craft a more engaging lesson, the potential is enormous. And with free credits on the table, there's little reason not to give it a try.

Key Points

  • Free Credits: Students and teachers get 1,000 AI credits each, valid until October 31 and September 30, 2026, respectively.
  • Coverage: Credits apply to high-frequency academic tasks like research, exam prep, essay writing, and teaching.
  • Ecosystem Expansion: Includes AI expert avatars, teaching skills, and campus events at 100+ universities.
  • Teacher Incentives: The AI Pioneer Teacher Incentive Program offers rewards and recognition for innovative educators.
  • Vision: Moving from AI-assisted efficiency to a deeper reimagining of classroom experiences.