ByteDance challenges Tencent with new Doubao workplace AI agent

ByteDance, the Chinese owner of TikTok, has unveiled a new Doubao workplace AI agent, challenging Tencent Holdings in the rapidly expanding domestic AI market. The Doubao Work agent, built on China's most popular chatbot, can autonomously break down tasks, utilize tools, and execute intricate workflows. It can be integrated with ByteDance's Lark app, and even control virtual desktop computers and browsers.

New users can take advantage of a 30-day free trial before a pricing structure is revealed. This move aims to consolidate ByteDance's AI product efforts under the Doubao brand, a strategy that includes merging teams behind its Trae coding platform and Coze agent-building tool. The new standalone Doubao Work app positions ByteDance to directly compete with Tencent's WorkBuddy, the leading AI office tool in China, which had 21 million monthly visits in June.

Other Chinese tech giants, such as Alibaba, are also vying for market share, integrating various AI office tools into their platforms. ByteDance has seen success with its video generation model, Seedance, but its large language models still lag behind open-weight rivals. Doubao, a TikTok-like product, now offers a tiered subscription model while maintaining a free version for basic use, a strategy previously abandoned by Baidu for its Ernie Bot.