ByteDance is Developing an AI Agent, Targeting 2029-2030 to Catch Up

ByteDance is developing an AI agent to compete with Meta's Muse, with a presentation expected in the coming weeks. However, co-founder Zhang Yiming believes that catching up in AI could take until at least 2029 or 2030. This initiative raises questions about privacy and uncertainties regarding integration into hardware.

Privacy, hardware, and catch-up timeline set the stage

The arrival of a personal agent developed by ByteDance would raise concerns about data privacy and the level of access these tools could obtain. Zhang Yiming, co-founder of ByteDance, informed employees that it would likely take until at least 2029 or 2030 for the company's AI efforts to catch up. It is not specified whether this future agent will be integrated into hardware. This development is part of ByteDance's strategy to compete with leading AI companies. ByteDance did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

An assistant in the works, similar in spirit to Muse

ByteDance is preparing an AI assistant, with a presentation potentially occurring in the coming weeks according to some sources. At this stage, neither the name nor the functionality of the agent is detailed, but it is announced that it will play a role similar to Meta's Muse. The goal is to offer a competing service to that of Meta.

Facing Meta: Muse, its announced uses, and the ByteDance context

Meta's Muse already has over 10 million users. Mark Zuckerberg has predicted that this AI agent could generate more revenue per user than Meta's existing family of applications. Muse is also expected to play a significant role in Meta's AI glasses, and a standalone accessory in the form of a "charm" has been presented. On the ByteDance side, the company is primarily known in AI for Seedance, a video generator whose clips went viral on social media earlier this year, attracting the attention of American studios.