ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, has dismissed an intern for “maliciously interfering” with the training of one of its artificial intelligence (AI) models.
The Chinese tech giant clarified that while the intern’s actions caused disruption, reports of significant damage were exaggerated. ByteDance refuted claims that the incident led to losses exceeding $10 million by disrupting an AI training system made up of thousands of powerful graphics processing units (GPU).
It comes after reports about the incident spread over the weekend on social media.
The Chinese technology giant’s Doubao ChatGPT-like generative AI model is the country’s most popular AI chatbot.
The intern, who was part of the advertising technology team and not directly involved with AI development, was let go in August. ByteDance informed the intern’s university and relevant industry bodies about the incident. Despite the disruption, ByteDance confirmed that its major AI models and commercial operations remained unaffected. The firm continues to be at the forefront of AI development, investing in technologies that enhance its apps, including Doubao and its text-to-video tool, Jimeng.
ByteDance’s social media apps, including TikTok and Douyin, are widely regarded as leaders in algorithm innovation, making their continued advancements in AI a strategic focus for the company.
Melissa Enoch
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