Tencent's WorkBuddy adds a standalone file browser with built-in AI editing
Tencent's AI office agent WorkBuddy launched a standalone file browser on October 8: users can right-click a Word, Excel, PPT, PDF, Markdown or HTML file and open it with WorkBuddy in its own window, skipping the usual step of uploading files into a chat box. The window shows the document on the left and a Buddy chat on the right, supports multiple tabs, and keeps the earlier "human-AI co-writing" mode, with AI edits highlighted in yellow; Word, Excel and PPT changes save back to the local file, Markdown autosaves, and HTML saves when editing ends, while files changed in other apps prompt a refresh or save-as-copy. Newly generated files land in the original folder by default, and Markdown or HTML files received in WeChat can be previewed and forwarded through the WorkBuddy mini program. Tencent says viewing and editing local files costs no credits, AI tasks are billed by task, and the browser only reads files the user opens or adds.
Moving the AI entry point from the chat box to the file itself is a typical bid by office agents to slot into users' existing workflows.