ByteDance All-Hands: Sticking to In-House AI Models, Integrating Feishu and Doubao for B2B

ByteDance held its mid-year all-hands meeting on August 6, where CEO Liang Rubo discussed AI progress. He said Doubao stays competitive for consumers, and Seedance video model remains top-tier, but large language models lag behind overseas leaders. He stressed sticking with in-house development, accepting short-term setbacks for long-term gains.

To adapt to fast AI productivity growth, ByteDance merged Doubao, Feishu, and Volcano Engine into a new unit called Creativity Service Platform for MaaS and SaaS. Over 90% of new Feishu clients also buy its AI products, aiming to boost B2B services.

Per The Information, founder Zhang Yiming told Seed team he won't rely on AI distillation, even if it means falling behind, possibly due to TikTok ownership issues. On July 30, ByteDance reorganized AI teams: Feishu product team merged with Doubao under Zhao Qi, while sales and marketing consolidated under Tan Dai's Creativity Service Platform.