BEIJING, March 22 (Reuters) - Tencent ( TCTZF ) launched a tool on Sunday to integrate its WeChat messaging platform with the OpenClaw agent, deepening its push into AI agents that have become a key battleground among China's technology companies.

The software, called ClawBot, will appear as a contact within WeChat, allowing users of China's most popular app with over 1 billion monthly active users to connect directly with OpenClaw.

Users can send and receive commands to interact with the AI agent through the messaging interface.

The integration comes as OpenClaw, an open-source AI agent that can perform tasks such as transferring files and sending emails on users' behalf, has gained traction in recent weeks.

Users have rushed to install and experiment with agent products, prompting tech firms to explore business opportunities even as authorities warn of security risks.

Tencent's ( TCTZF ) WeChat integration follows the company's launch earlier this month of its own AI agent suite, comprising QClaw for individual users, Lighthouse for developers and WorkBuddy for enterprises.

Last week, Alibaba launched Wukong, an artificial intelligence platform for enterprises that coordinates multiple AI agents to handle complex business tasks including document editing and meeting transcription within a single interface.

Baidu quickly followed with a series of AI agents built on OpenClaw, spanning desktop software, cloud services, mobile tools and smart-home devices.

(Reporting by Liam Mo and Ryan; Editing by Michael Perry )