ByteDance sues ex-intern Tian Keyu for $1.1 million, alleging significant breaches of its AI systems and speculating damages over $10 million.
ByteDance, the parent company behind the popular social media platform TikTok, is embroiled in a legal dispute with a former intern, Tian Keyu, following allegations of a significant breach involving the company’s artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. The company is seeking $1.1 million in damages, alleging that Tian intentionally sabotaged its large language model training systems.
ByteDance, which utilises a variety of AI technologies across its applications, recently saw its generative AI model, Doubao, achieve substantial popularity in China, drawing comparisons to ChatGPT. This generative AI framework is designed to harness extensive datasets to create new media content, including text and images.
Reports regarding the AI breach emerged in late October, igniting discussions online about potential damage inflicted by the intern. Speculation arose that Tian might have interfered with thousands of graphics processing units (GPUs), resulting in damages estimated at over $10 million. In response to the burgeoning concerns, ByteDance released a statement to the BBC, refuting claims regarding the scale of the damages but confirming Tian’s termination from the company in August. They clarified that the intern was part of the advertising technology team and lacked experience with the AI Lab, indicating a possible disconnect between Tian’s role and the responsibilities associated with AI model management.
Developments in the case escalated by the end of November, when the Chinese state-owned Legal Weekly reported that ByteDance had formally lodged a lawsuit against Tian at the Haidian District People’s Court in Beijing. This move to seek $1.1 million in damages is notable, as it is relatively rare for Chinese employers to pursue legal action against former interns, particularly for such substantial sums. This lawsuit has drawn considerable attention both within China and internationally, as observers speculate on the extent of the damage allegedly caused to specific AI models, including the fate of Doubao.
As of now, both ByteDance and Tian have refrained from providing further comment regarding the ongoing legal proceedings, leaving the details of the incident and subsequent implications largely shrouded in uncertainty.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://dig.watch/updates/bytedance-sues-former-intern-for-1-1-million – Corroborates the lawsuit filed by ByteDance against former intern Tian Keyu for $1.1 million, alleging deliberate sabotage of its AI model training infrastructure.
- https://www.visive.ai/news/bytedance-seeks-1-1m-from-intern-in-ai-breach-case – Supports the claim that ByteDance is seeking $1.1 million in damages from the intern for breaching the company’s AI protocols.
- https://www.asiafinancial.com/bytedance-sues-intern-for-1-1-million-over-ai-sabotage – Confirms the lawsuit filed at the Haidian District People’s Court in Beijing and the allegations of AI sabotage by Tian Keyu.
- https://lawlogs.com/bytedance-sues-intern-over-ai-breach/ – Details the incident, including the intern’s termination in August and the company’s response to exaggerated claims of damage.
- https://dig.watch/updates/bytedance-sues-former-intern-for-1-1-million – Provides context on the significance of the lawsuit in the context of China’s AI development race and the high-pressure environment of AI innovation.
- https://www.visive.ai/news/bytedance-seeks-1-1m-from-intern-in-ai-breach-case – Highlights ByteDance’s strict stance on data security and intellectual property, relevant to the allegations against the intern.
- https://www.asiafinancial.com/bytedance-sues-intern-for-1-1-million-over-ai-sabotage – Clarifies that the lawsuit is unusual for its large sum and the rarity of legal action against interns in China.
- https://lawlogs.com/bytedance-sues-intern-over-ai-breach/ – Explains the legal aspects of the case, including breach of contract, fiduciary duties, and potential criminal liability.
- https://dig.watch/updates/bytedance-sues-former-intern-for-1-1-million – Mentions that Tian was a postgraduate student at Peking University and had been terminated in August, which aligns with other reports.
- https://www.asiafinancial.com/bytedance-sues-intern-for-1-1-million-over-ai-sabotage – Supports the fact that ByteDance informed the intern’s academic institution about the misconduct, emphasizing the breach of trust and ethical responsibility.
- https://lawlogs.com/bytedance-sues-intern-over-ai-breach/ – Discusses the broader industry implications, including the rising importance of AI security and corporate ethics in the tech industry.
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