ByteDance challenges Tencent with new Doubao workplace AI agent

ByteDance, the Chinese owner of TikTok, has introduced a new workspace AI agent called Doubao Work, challenging Tencent Holdings in the burgeoning domestic market. Doubao Work is an all-in-one AI super-app that offers audio, podcast, video, and image tools, and can autonomously break down tasks, deploy tools, and execute complex workflows.

It can integrate with ByteDance's Lark, which is similar to Slack, and can take over virtual desktop computers and browsers. New users are offered a 30-day free trial of Doubao Work, with pricing details yet to be disclosed. This move strengthens ByteDance's strategy of consolidating its AI product efforts under the Doubao banner.

The chatbot, which is popular in China, already serves as a one-stop AI platform for generating audio transcripts, listening to podcasts, creating videos, and making images. ByteDance is integrating the teams behind its Trae coding platform and Coze agent-building tool into Doubao, following similar moves to unify Lark under the Doubao team.

This reorganization aims to align product and technical resources better. Doubao Work positions ByteDance to directly compete with Tencent's WorkBuddy, another prominent AI office tool in China's enterprise AI market. Tencent's WorkBuddy has garnered 21 million monthly visits in June, making it the country's most used AI office tool, with Trae trailing behind.

Other Chinese tech giants, such as Alibaba Group Holding, are also making strides in the market by folding smaller AI office tools into their Qwen Work platform. Despite mixed success in the post-ChatGPT era, ByteDance's Doubao Work has emerged as a TikTok-level success, adopting a tiered subscription model while maintaining a free version for basic, everyday use.