- ByteDance’s Feishu unit cuts 1,000 jobs in restructuring, affecting up to 20% of employees.
- Despite layoffs, Feishu continues AI focus, recently adding an AI assistant to its app.
- ByteDance faces challenges as TikTok’s US revenue reaches $16B amid potential ban.
ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is reducing its workforce in the corporate collaboration unit Feishu.
The unit’s leader, Xie Xin, announced the restructuring measure in a letter, affecting around 1,000 workers. The total number of layoffs could reach up to 20% of Feishu’s employees, or over 5,000 people, mostly in mainland China.
AI remains a priority for Feishu
Despite the job cuts, Feishu will continue focusing on AI. Last year, the unit added an AI assistant to the Feishu app, which can condense meetings, filter messages, and read various files.
ByteDance has been cutting jobs across several businesses, such as its gaming division and Pico, its virtual reality unit. However, it recently posted over 100 job openings related to generative AI, with most roles based in Singapore and the US.
Another burden for ByteDance
TikTok, another ByteDance-owned platform, reported US$16 billion in 2023 revenue from the US market amid regulatory challenges. Now, TikTok will face a potential ban if it does not branch out from ByteDance.
The company has decided not to sell TikTok’s US business as a deal isn’t likely to be made within the six-month deadline the US government set.
To read the original article: https://www.techinasia.com/bytedance-slashes-1000-jobs-hires-ai-engineers
