Three Chinese AI companion apps go overseas: Popia, MochiChat, imely
A Xia Guang She piece published via 36Kr surveys the overseas push by Chinese AI social apps: per Appfigures Intelligence, 337 revenue-generating AI social apps were operating worldwide as of July 2025, 128 of them launched in 2025 (about 38%), with 2.2 billion cumulative downloads and $221 million in consumer spending. It profiles three products from Chinese teams launched in 2026: Popia (launched January, US-focused), which turns character creation into a multi-turn AI conversation and has taken in roughly $400,000 in mobile revenue while entering the top 25 of US entertainment grossing charts; MochiChat (April), focused on Southeast Asia with nearly 1.2 million users and about $120,000 in revenue, adding virtual transfers, a social feed and five intimacy levels; and imely (April), which has passed 500,000 users in Vietnam and lets relationships deteriorate via a "negative intimacy" mechanic. The author argues that amid fading traffic dividends, heavy imitation and rising compliance barriers, newcomers can still win by targeting narrower markets and needs.
For teams watching consumer AI and companion apps, these three cases suggest the overseas opportunity is shifting from chasing hype toward serving more specific audiences and needs.