In a significant move within the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence (AI) sector, ByteDance's Doubao large model team, known as Seed, recently convened an all-hands meeting to chart its future direction. The event was co-hosted by Zhu Wenjia and Wu Yonghui, the newly appointed head of AI fundamental research, marking their first joint appearance and drawing considerable industry attention.

At the meeting, Zhu Wenjia and Wu Yonghui articulated Seed's primary mission: to "explore the upper limits of intelligence." This goal will serve as the cornerstone of the team's efforts moving forward. They emphasized that pushing the boundaries of AI is a long-term endeavor, with the team focusing on its AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) research initiative, dubbed "Seed Edge." Zhu Wenjia highlighted the importance of encouraging team members to tackle challenging research topics and explore cutting-edge AI technologies.

Wu Yonghui underscored the critical role of fundamental research in achieving these ambitious goals. He announced plans to allocate additional resources to the Seed Edge project, including increased computing power to support sustained R&D efforts. Wu also expressed his vision for Seed to become a hub for attracting and nurturing top-tier talent, stressing that internal talent development is essential for the team's success.

In a bid to foster innovation, the meeting also addressed organizational culture. ByteDance decided to eliminate quarterly OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) and semi-annual assessments for the Edge project. This change aims to create a more stable research environment, reduce performance-related pressures, and enhance creativity within the team. Wu Yonghui believes these adjustments will lead to deeper and more impactful research outcomes.

Additionally, Seed hinted at plans to open-source some of its smaller Dense models in the future. This initiative is expected to promote broader community engagement with their technology, facilitate external collaboration, and amplify Seed's influence in the AI field.

The all-hands meeting not only showcased ByteDance's commitment to advancing AI but also laid a robust foundation for future innovation and growth.

Key Points

1. ByteDance's Doubao large model team aims to explore the upper limits of AI intelligence.
2. The team will focus on its AGI research initiative, Seed Edge, with increased resource allocation.
3. Organizational changes include eliminating quarterly OKRs and semi-annual assessments to foster creativity.
4. Plans are underway to open-source smaller Dense models for community engagement and collaboration.
5. The meeting highlights ByteDance's ambition to lead in AI innovation and talent development.