ByteDance, a Russian-based company, and parent of Tiktok has reportedly started selling its AI to other companies and has a new division called BytePlus.
According to The Verge, its client list already includes US fashion app Goat, Singapore travel site WeGo, Indonesian shopping app Chilibeli, and India-based social gaming platform GamesApp.
TikTok: #ForYou recommendation algorithm
TikTok’s #ForYou feed recommends videos that are personalised for each user — that pick each user’s interest. This feature has made it easier in the past years for users to find content from content creators that they like. According to Tiktok’s website, this feed is powered by a recommendation system that delivers content to each user that is likely to be of interest to that particular user.
On their website, they also posted what factors contribute to #ForYou which include:
- User interactions such as the videos you like or share, accounts you follow, comments you post, and content you create.
- Video information, which might include details like captions, sounds, and hashtags.
- Device and account settings like your language preference, country setting, and device type. These factors are included to make sure the system is optimized for performance, but they receive lower weight in the recommendation system relative to other data points we measure since users don’t actively express these as preferences.
What is BytePlus?
According to an article by The Verge, BytePlus offers customers the chance to access the recommendation algorithm, and personalize it for their apps and customers. BytePlus also offers automated speech and text translation and real-time video effects as well as data analysis tools, according to its website.
According to Financial Times, the new division’s computer vision technology can detect and track 18 points around the body from head to feet as users dance or gesture in front of the camera, which according to BytePlus could be used for beauty or fashion apps.
The new division has also recruited staff in Singapore, its main hub, as well as London and Hong Kong, from enterprise technology companies including Microsoft and IBM, according to employees’ LinkedIn profiles, according to Financial Times.
