ByteDance, the Chinese tech giant and parent company of TikTok, has filed a lawsuit against a former intern, seeking $1.1 million in damages over claims of deliberate sabotage to its artificial intelligence (AI) training infrastructure. The unusual legal action, lodged with the Haidian District People’s Court in Beijing, has sparked significant attention in China, where the competition in AI development continues to intensify.
The former intern, identified as Tian Keyu, a postgraduate student at Peking University according to Chinese media reports, is accused of disrupting ByteDance’s large language model (LLM) training through unauthorized code manipulations. State-owned Legal Weekly reported details of the lawsuit, citing an internal ByteDance memo that alleges Tian deliberately attacked critical model training tasks. ByteDance terminated Tian’s internship in August, claiming the actions violated company policies.
ByteDance, which declined to comment on the case, addressed rumors in October via a social media post, stating that claims of losses amounting to millions of dollars and the involvement of over 8,000 graphics processing units (GPUs) were “seriously exaggerated.” Nevertheless, the company asserts that the intern’s actions caused significant harm, prompting the demand for 8 million yuan in damages.
This case stands out not only for its scale but also for its focus on generative AI—a technology that uses large datasets to produce text, images, and other outputs. The lawsuit shows the growing stakes in AI development as companies race to advance their capabilities in this transformative field. Legal disputes between companies and employees are not uncommon in China, but targeting an intern with a claim of this magnitude is highly unusual, making the case a focal point in discussions around AI security and corporate governance.
Tian has not yet publicly responded to the lawsuit or to emailed inquiries about the allegations.
The ByteDance lawsuit against a former intern raises broader questions about the balance between corporate accountability and the treatment of junior employees in high-stakes industries like AI. While safeguarding critical AI infrastructure is essential, the magnitude of the damages sought—$1.1 million—is striking, particularly for an intern. This case highlights the growing importance of ethical practices and stringent security measures as companies invest heavily in generative AI technologies, but it also underscores the need for fair handling of disputes to avoid discouraging young talent from entering the field.
Featured image courtesy of Forbes Africa
Follow us for more tech news updates.
It is аctually a nice and heⅼpful piece of information. I am satisfied that you
simply shared this useful info with us. Please stay ᥙs up to date like this.
Thank you fоr sharing.