ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, has recently introduced four new generative AI apps targeted at users outside of China. These apps, namely Cici AI, Coze, ChitChop, and BagelBell, have collectively garnered millions of downloads since their launch in the past three months.
Cici AI, ChitChop, and Coze enable users to create and share their own chatbots, with Cici AI being the most popular so far, crossing the threshold of more than 10 million downloads on the Google Play store. On the other hand, BagelBell generates fictional stories that adapt based on readers’ choices. Interestingly, ByteDance did not develop the underlying large language models that power these apps. Instead, they have utilized OpenAI’s GPT technology through a Microsoft Azure license.
One notable aspect is that ByteDance has not explicitly mentioned its association with these apps on their respective websites or in their terms of service. Three of the apps are managed by Spring (SG) Pte. Ltd., a new ByteDance subsidiary, while the fourth is handled by Poligon Pte., another ByteDance subsidiary known for publishing erotic web novels and video games for the company.
These apps appear to be part of ByteDance’s strategic plan to compete in the generative AI space, alongside other tech giants like Facebook, Snap, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon. While Coze is currently available in the United States, none of the apps are accessible in the European Union.
Regarding the future plans for these apps, Jodi Seth, a spokesperson for ByteDance, described them as still being in the testing phase and declined to share further details. Additionally, it is unclear whether these apps will be integrated into the TikTok platform, despite a previous test conducted by ByteDance that incorporated an AI chatbot named “Tako” into the TikTok app.
ByteDance has a history of launching and subsequently phasing out test apps that fail to gain traction. The company’s expanding portfolio includes various offerings such as a WhatsApp competitor in Africa, a Spotify competitor in Southeast Asia, and a discontinued Twitter competitor in Brazil.
While ByteDance’s focus on generative AI apps in international markets is evident, they have also released similar apps in China, such as the AI chatbot app Dou Bao. Notably, Chinese regulations require bots launched within the country to align with the “core socialist values” enforced by the Chinese government, including adherence to strict censorship guidelines.
Given concerns about data privacy and potential Chinese government influence, ByteDance’s entry into the generative AI market may attract increased scrutiny from regulators. All four of the newly launched apps have privacy policies indicating that user data may be accessed by ByteDance employees in China, subject to the company’s access controls and approval processes.
The widespread adoption of bots coupled with ByteDance’s success with TikTok has likely influenced their decision to enter the generative AI space in western markets. However, concerns regarding privacy, data security, and covert influence remain, urging regulatory bodies to keep a close eye on these developments.
The source of the article is from the blog enp.gr