China’s ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok and one of the world’s most valuable private tech firms, has unveiled its new initiative called “Seed Edge.” Announced on January 25, the programme marks a major step in the company’s journey towards artificial general intelligence (AGI), a form of AI that mimics human intelligence and can learn tasks independently without prior training.
Pioneering AI research through Seed Edge
Seed Edge, managed by ByteDance’s Doubao AI team, aims to explore groundbreaking approaches to AGI. In a statement, ByteDance said, “Seed Edge encourages exploration into long-term, uncertain and bold AI research topics.” The company emphasised its commitment to fostering a research environment that promotes tackling disruptive challenges in AI development.
This initiative aligns ByteDance with global tech giants like OpenAI, Google, and Meta, who are all accelerating their efforts to build AGI. ByteDance, valued at an estimated US$300 billion by CB Insights, is determined to stay competitive in this rapidly evolving sector.
To support its AI ambitions, ByteDance plans to invest 4.5 billion yuan (US$615 million) in a state-of-the-art computing centre in Datong, a city in northern Shanxi province. This facility will bolster the infrastructure needed for its AGI research and operations.
Focus on reasoning and beyond
Seed Edge will initially focus on five core research areas, starting with improving AI reasoning capabilities. ByteDance highlighted that reasoning ability is fundamental to intelligence, referencing OpenAI’s advancements with large language models (LLMs) like GPT-4. While reasoning in AI has seen progress, ByteDance noted that “many unexplored issues are worth investigating deeply.”
In addition to reasoning, other focus areas include enhancing machines’ perceptual capabilities, designing next-generation models that combine software and hardware, developing advanced machine-learning paradigms, and exploring future directions in scaling AI systems.
The announcement follows ByteDance’s Doubao large language model (LLM) launch in May last year. Doubao quickly became a popular tool in China, with its ChatGPT-like chatbot gaining widespread consumer adoption. Despite being a latecomer to the AI model space, Doubao sparked a competitive price war in the Chinese market.
A strategic move with the founder’s support
Seed Edge is reportedly backed by ByteDance’s low-profile founder, Zhang Yiming. Zhang stepped away from his corporate roles but remains influential in steering the company’s strategic direction. While ByteDance has yet to comment further on the initiative, Chinese media reports suggest Zhang is directly involved in shaping its AGI ambitions.
The company’s aggressive push into AI reflects a larger trend as tech giants worldwide race to unlock AGI’s potential. OpenAI’s chief product officer, Kevin Weil, recently stated that AI systems could surpass humans in most tasks as early as 2027. ByteDance’s Seed Edge programme attempts to keep pace with such bold predictions while solidifying its position as a leader in AI innovation.
As the AGI race heats up, ByteDance’s investments in research, infrastructure, and talent will be critical to its success against fierce competition from domestic and international rivals.
