Tencent WorkBuddy apologizes for unannounced price hike after DeepSeek-V4.1 flash promotion

Tencent WorkBuddy issued a statement apologizing for a sudden, uncommunicated price adjustment following the launch of DeepSeek-V4.1 Flash on September 10. Initially, the service offered a two-week 50% discount on credits, which was later extended until November 5. However, the transition to the standard pricing, set for 14:00 on November 5, was not properly announced to users. Confusion arose when users noticed increased charges, prompting the company to offer a remedy. For usage of DeepSeek-V4.1 Flash between 14:00 on November 5 and 23:59 on November 8, the consumed credits will be recalculated at 50% of the original cost, with the difference automatically refunded to the account within seven business days. No user application is required for this credit adjustment. This sequence of events—extending a benefit, implementing a silent price increase, and then issuing an apology and refund—has reignited discussions regarding transparent campaign rules for credit-based AI tools. WorkBuddy's decision to implement automatic refunds, rather than negotiating with users, was noted as a minimal effort in addressing the communication lapse.