Byte-Dance dismisses an intern accused of disrupting artificial intelligence research, though key systems remain unaffected.

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, dismissed an intern in August after accusations surfaced that the individual had “maliciously interfered” with the training of its artificial intelligence (AI) models. The intern allegedly disrupted a research project focused on generative AI, but the company has stated that its core systems and large language models were not impacted.

This incident comes at a time when ByteDance, one of the world’s leading social media companies, is intensifying its focus on AI development. The company’s AI-driven chatbot, Doubao, has already become a key player in the race against competitors like Baidu’s Ernie, aiming to rival the capabilities of OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

Despite speculation and rumours circulating widely on Chinese social media over the weekend, ByteDance clarified in a statement that reports regarding the extent of the sabotage were exaggerated. Social media posts had suggested that up to 8,000 graphical processing units (GPUs) were affected, with potential losses reaching tens of millions of dollars. However, ByteDance firmly denied these claims, stating that the damage was not as severe as portrayed.

The company’s response, posted via its news service Toutiao, confirmed that while the intern’s actions represented a “serious disciplinary violation,” ByteDance’s commercial products and AI systems were fully operational. They have also notified the intern’s university and relevant industry bodies about the incident.

The scandal comes as ByteDance faces heightened scrutiny, particularly in the United States, where the company is under pressure to sell TikTok by January 2025 or face a federal ban. The U.S. government has raised national security concerns over the popular app, a claim that ByteDance continues to contest.

The firing of the intern highlights the ongoing challenges that tech companies face as they rapidly expand their AI capabilities, and the scrutiny over the safety and security of AI technologies continues to grow globally.