Latest news with #Doubao
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
ByteDance upgrades Doubao AI app with real-time interactive video call function
TikTok parent ByteDance has upgraded its Doubao chatbot, one of China's most popular consumer-facing artificial intelligence (AI) apps , with the recent launch of a real-time video call function that turns the app into an interactive digital assistant. Advertisement The function allows users to engage in an interactive video conversation with the AI technology behind the chatbot, according to an announcement last Friday via Doubao's WeChat account. Users can activate the function by simply turning on their smartphone 's camera during a voice call. Once activated, Doubao can automatically serve in real time as a docent during a museum tour; a tutor with gardening knowledge when observing plants; a recipe master when shopping for ingredients at a grocery store; and an analyst when studying charts, graphs or videos. According to Doubao, the new function was built on ByteDance's visual reasoning AI model, which integrates visual and language inputs to support content creation and in-depth study of subject matter. It also supports online search to obtain the latest information from the internet. Doubao's real-time, interactive video call function shows the latest progress made by ByteDance in generative AI (GenAI), showcasing the advanced multimodal capabilities of products built on its own AI models. GenAI refers to algorithms used to create new content, including audio, code, images, text, simulations and videos. Advertisement Earlier this month, Doubao promoted its capabilities to turn any photo into pixel art. In February, parent ByteDance introduced its OmniHuman-1 multimodal AI model , which gained widespread attention for its ability to transform photos and sound bites into realistic videos.
New Straits Times
15-05-2025
- New Straits Times
China zoo seeks public help to locate escaped capybara, offers free entry ticket
KUALA LUMPUR: An adult female capybara named Doubao remains at large more than a month after escaping from a zoo enclosure in China's Zhuyuwan Park. In a statement released on last Sunday, zoo officials confirmed that Doubao, who is approximately 18 months old, has yet to be recaptured. A reward in the form of a free park entry ticket is being offered to anyone who can provide credible information leading to her safe return. According to Chinese media outlets CGTN and the Global Times, Doubao made her daring escape alongside her companions, Bazong and Duoduo, in the early hours of April 3. Zoo authorities said that Bazong, often described as gentle and laid-back, was believed to be the mastermind behind the breakout. Surveillance footage reportedly showed Bazong using his head to break a window in their enclosure, allowing the trio to flee. Bazong was found shortly after the escape, leisurely swimming in a river within the zoo premises. Duoduo, who was dubbed an "evasion expert" by the Global Times, managed to avoid capture for nearly a month by hiding in a canal and diving underwater to evade zookeepers. She was eventually caught on April 30, having lost approximately 2kg during her time on the run. Zoo staff have since reinforced the animals' enclosure with protective netting. Zookeepers told the Global Times that Doubao is hiding in a swampy, reed-filled area near a canal within the park. Her strong swimming abilities and the natural terrain have made capture attempts challenging. "Investigations show that the suspect (Doubao) is unarmed and not aggressive. We appeal to citizens and tourists not to worry," the zoo said, adding that anyone with information related to the missing capybara would receive a free park entry ticket as a reward. In response to criticism from social media users over the low reward value, zoo officials said the reward for finding Doubao may be increased. "While our reward offer may not be large, we have never cut corners when it comes to providing quality living conditions for our animals," a zoo staff member said, as quoted by the Global Times. The zoo has also completed new habitats for several animals and plans to upgrade existing enclosures, as well as build a native species section.
TimesLIVE
13-05-2025
- Business
- TimesLIVE
China's AI-powered humanoid robots aim to transform manufacturing
Widening deployment of humanoids, especially into factories, is likely to accelerate data collection. MagicLab, another humanoid startup, said in an interview that its focus on the robots' brains has allowed it to recently begin deploying prototypes in production lines for tasks such as quality inspection, material handling, and assembly. "These breakthroughs lay the foundation for our focus in 2025 on real-world applications," said CEO Wu Changzheng, adding that MagicLab has integrated its robots with AI models like DeepSeek, Alibaba's Qwen, and ByteDance's Doubao. "DeepSeek has been helpful in task reasoning and comprehension, contributing to the development of our robots' 'brains.'" China's clearest advantage, however, is its domination of the hardware that makes up a humanoid. The country is capable of making up to 90% of humanoid components, lowering barriers to entry, according to analysts and startups. As a result, China now accounts for the majority of manufacturers working on such projects globally and dominates the supply chain, according to Morgan Stanley. Some Chinese startups are selling robots as cheaply as 88,000 yuan ($12,178). "If you have a requirement in the morning, suppliers might come to your company with materials or products by the afternoon, or you can go directly to their site to see for yourself," said Zhang Miao, chief operating officer of Beijing-based startup CASBOT. "It's difficult to achieve this level of efficiency overseas," she added, as companies would need to import materials from China. The sector has seen an explosion of new firms. In 2024, 31 Chinese companies unveiled 36 competing humanoid models versus eight by US companies, according to Morgan Stanley. At least six companies in China, including market leaders Unitree and UBTech, have said they have entered mass production or are preparing to do so this year. Jobs at risk? While the industry remains incipient, Chinese lawmakers have begun to discuss the far-reaching implications intelligent humanoid robots could have for the workforce. Some 123-million people work in manufacturing in China, according to a 2023 survey by the National Bureau of Statistics. At this year's National People's Congress, social security expert Zheng Gongcheng warned that the development of robots and AI would affect around 70% of China's manufacturing sector, which could lead to a steep decline in social security contributions. At the same gathering, Liu Qingfeng, chairperson of domestic AI firm iFlytek, suggested the creation of an AI unemployment insurance program that would provide six to 12 months of coverage for workers replaced by robots. Tang Jian, chief technology officer at the government-backed Beijing Innovation Centre of Human Robotics, told Reuters on the sidelines of the Beijing robot half-marathon in April that its prototypes were targeting jobs that humans don't want to do due to their boring or repetitive nature, as well as dangerous tasks. Despite concerns about the impact on jobs, Beijing sees the technology as key to plug labour shortages in areas such as elderly care, where demand is increasing as China's 1.4-billion population ages. China's government published a national elderly-care plan in December that encouraged integration of humanoid robots and AI. Soon after, tech giant Ant Group announced the creation of new subsidiary Ant Lingbo Technology, whose humanoid robots will focus on elderly care, among other areas. "The robots in five or 10 years could organise a resident's room, pick up a package or even transfer people from a bed to a washroom," said AgiBot's Yao.
CNA
13-05-2025
- General
- CNA
‘Doubao, come home': Chinese netizens react with amusement, concern over Jiangsu zoo's runaway capybara
SINGAPORE: It's the world's largest rodent species, and one has gone missing from a Chinese zoo. An adult female capybara named Doubao is 'currently still at large', read a notice shared by zoo officials from Zhuyuwan Park on the Sina Weibo microblogging site on Sunday (May 11). The zoo's online plea has attracted both amusement and concern from Chinese netizens on the site, with a thread about the capybara's escape, featuring shared links and comments, garnering more than 3.7 million views. 'Doubao was suspected to have escaped with her family in the early hours of Apr 3,' the zoo said, adding that her brothers Bazong and Duoduo have since been 'apprehended according to the law'. 'Investigations show that the suspect (Doubao) is unarmed and not aggressive. We appeal to citizens and tourists not to worry,' the zoo said, adding that anyone with information related to the missing capybara would be rewarded with a free park entrance ticket. Social media users expressed concern for the missing giant rodent, with some also questioning the zoo's efforts and 'stingy' reward for finding Doubao. 'Isn't it dangerous for Doubao to be roaming outside,' said one user. 'It's currently the turn of spring and summer. With suitable temperatures and abundant water plants, there is no need to worry about Doubao's survival,' the zoo said in response. 'Doubao, your mother is calling you back for dinner. Steamed carrot buns are waiting for you,' wrote a Weibo user named Xiaodao. Another Weibo user with the handle XinGo123 suggested that zookeepers install a GPS device on the other capybaras and send them out to look for Doubao. However, some users on Xiaohongshu have said the reward of one entrance ticket to the zoo was 'stingy'. 'At least an annual pass, one entrance ticket is so stingy,' one user on Xiaohongshu said. Another user, momo, wrote: 'Gosh, you guys went viral on Douyin lol. They are saying (the zoo) is too stingy.' 'We are not the most stingy zoo on the internet because we may increase the reward in the future,' the zoo said in response to online criticism, adding that it has 'never been ambiguous' when it comes to its living conditions for its animals. Safety issues, which can also be costly, are also taken seriously, officials said. 03:13 Min With their chill demeanours and cute appearances, capybaras have become wildly popular on both Chinese and global social media platforms - often depicted in memes and other online content on apps like TikTok, Xiaohongshu and Instagram. In countries like Thailand, Japan and China, cafes dedicated to capybaras have also become popular - offering capybara-themed food and products as well as chances for diners to interact with the giant rodents for a fee. Doubao, Bazong and Duoduo escaped their enclosure in the early hours of Apr 3, by smashing against its wooden windows with their bodies, the zoo said. Bazong and Duoduo have since been recaptured. Duoduo was found inside one of the park's canals on Apr 30 and had lost nearly 2kg, keepers said, adding that it 'played hide and seek', thanks to its diving and swimming skills. 'We were all so distressed,' they added. The capybara enclosure has been reinforced with protective nets following the trio's escape, the zoo said. In a report on Sunday, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV News said zookeepers had discovered capybara droppings in a nearby village, suggesting that an animal was in the area. In the comments section of its Xiaohongshu account, the zoo said it looked forward to 'Doubao coming home'.
Nikkei Asia
13-05-2025
- Nikkei Asia
China's AI assistants are getting more handy -- and more invasive
Vivian Toh is chief editor of London-based TechTechChina, a Chinese tech news startup. When ByteDance quietly launched a new screen-sharing function for its AI assistant Doubao in March, the announcement received little fanfare. Yet the technology behind it marks a notable -- and controversial -- advance in China's increasingly assertive AI push.
