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ByteDance Fires Intern for "Malicious Interference" in AI Training

ByteDance, the company behind popular video-sharing app TikTok, has confirmed the dismissal of an intern for "malicious interference" in the training of one of its AI models. The company, however, refuted claims regarding the extent of the damage caused by the unnamed individual, stating that some reports were "exaggerated and inaccurate."

The incident, reported on social media over the weekend, involved the company's "Doubai" generative AI model, a ChatGPT-like chatbot that is among the most popular in China. ByteDance stated that the individual was an intern in the technology (advertising) team and had no experience in the AI lab, adding that his social media profile and some media reports contain inaccurate information.

The company assured the public that its online business operations, including its large language AI models, were not impacted by the intern's actions. ByteDance also denied reports claiming that the incident caused over $10 million in damages by disrupting the AI training system, which comprises thousands of powerful graphics processing units (GPUs). The company further stated that it has informed the university and industry bodies about the incident, as reported by BBC.

ByteDance operates some of the world's most popular social media applications, including TikTok and its Chinese counterpart Douyin. The company is widely regarded as a leader in developing algorithms due to the user engagement its apps have garnered. Like many of its counterparts in China and around the world, the social media giant is investing heavily in AI, using the technology to power its chatbot, as well as other applications, including a text-to-video tool called "Jiming."