ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is suing a former intern named Tian Keyu for $1.1 million in damages. The lawsuit alleges that Tian deliberately attacked ByteDance’s artificial intelligence large language model training infrastructure. This case has attracted widespread attention within China, as it sheds light on the competitive AI race in the country.
The focus of the lawsuit is on AI LLM training, a technology that has gained global interest due to rapid technological advancements in generative AI. ByteDance has accused Tian of sabotaging the team’s model training tasks through code manipulation and unauthorized modifications, according to an internal memo cited by Legal Weekly.
While lawsuits between companies and employees are common in China, legal action against an intern and for such a significant amount is unusual. ByteDance has not commented on the lawsuit, and Tian, a postgraduate student at Peking University, has not responded to inquiries.
ByteDance stated in a social media post in October that it had dismissed Tian in August. The company also addressed rumors that the case had caused them losses in millions of dollars and involved over 8,000 graphics processing units, deeming these claims “seriously exaggerated”. The case highlights the importance of protecting AI technologies and the potential consequences of malicious actions in the field.
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