HIGHLIGHTS: ByteDance and ZTE are developing a second-generation Agentic AI, Doubao phone, for a planned late-2026 launch. The first AI phone sold out quickly but was limited to around 30,000 units as an engineering test.

ByteDance's Doubao-powered AI phone is facing app blocks over broad permissions and data risks; the episode is exposing a bigger fight among China's tech giants for users and control

The Nubia M153 engineering prototype, the first smartphone to feature ByteDance’s Doubao AI assistant in a preview version, has sold out on ZTE’s official

To keep its advantage in the AI race, ByteDance needs access to powerful AI chips. Media reports claim ByteDance is the largest purchaser of Nvidia chips inside China and that it has explored designing its own processors. It’s also investing in data centers in regions like Latin America and Southeast Asia.

ByteDance's new AI smartphone has run into resistance, as major Chinese platforms move to block its features citing fairness and security ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, has moved to tighten controls on its artificial intelligence-powered smartphone after several of China's most widely used apps restricted its voice-operated functions.

Hawaii sues ByteDance, claiming TikTok was designed to be dangerously addictive for young users through manipulative features.

The state of Hawaii is suing ByteDance Inc., the parent company of TikTok, alleging the largest social media company in the world exploits 1 billion users worldwide — more than 150 million in the U.S.

By Liam Mo and Brenda Goh BEIJING, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Chinese tech giant ByteDance said on Monday it is launching an artificial intelligence voice control tool that will debut on a smartphone made by ZTE Corp,

According to a report by The Information on Thursday, China's Tencent has been engaged in an aggressive poaching campaign to lure AI researchers from ByteDance (BDNCE) with double salaries, and the company has successfully hired at least some of them.