ByteDance is reinforcing its commitment to developing artificial intelligence through in-house innovation, with founder Zhang Yiming reportedly advising employees to avoid using AI model distillation despite its growing popularity across the industry.
According to Chinese media outlet The Paper, Zhang urged staff to focus on building original AI technologies rather than relying on techniques that train models using the outputs of more advanced AI systems.
The guidance comes as technology companies worldwide race to release more capable AI models while facing increased scrutiny over how those models are developed. AI distillation has become a widely used method for improving performance, but it has also sparked debates over intellectual property and ethical AI development.
ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has continued to expand its artificial intelligence efforts through products such as its Doubao chatbot and proprietary large language models. The reported directive signals the company’s intention to prioritize long-term research and independent innovation as competition in the AI sector intensifies.
Industry observers say the move could help strengthen ByteDance’s position as it seeks to develop AI technologies built on its own research rather than depending on methods that may attract legal or regulatory concerns.
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