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    Alicis a Yap

    Research Analyst at Citigroup

    Alicia Yap is an analyst at Citigroup, specializing in equity research with a focus on Asia-Pacific internet and e-commerce companies. Over her career, she has covered major names in the sector, offering actionable investment insights and detailed analysis to institutional clients. With a track record of timely stock calls and in-depth market research, she has established herself as a respected expert in her coverage universe. Yap started her career in equity research in the early 2000s and brings decades of industry experience, holding key roles at prominent investment banks before joining Citigroup, and she maintains key professional registrations and relevant securities licenses.

    Alicis a Yap's questions to WEIBO (WB) leadership

    Alicis a Yap's questions to WEIBO (WB) leadership • Q1 2025

    Question

    Alicis a Yap inquired about the strategic direction for Weibo's intelligent search product, asking if it would remain integrated or become a standalone app, and questioned how AI and large language models have enhanced advertising products and monetization.

    Answer

    CEO Gaofei Wang explained that the AI-powered search, enhanced by models like DeepSeek, has significantly boosted user activity, with MAUs surpassing 30 million. He confirmed there are no plans to make it an independent product, instead leveraging it to drive traffic back to Weibo. Regarding monetization, Mr. Wang noted that AI has improved ad CTR by about 10%, but its overall impact on total ad revenue is still limited as the majority of ads are performance-based.

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