Driven by the desire to take their e-commerce business to new heights, ByteDance’s Byte Robotics team (part of the Byte AI Lab), has set forth on a path toward achieving two main goals in the realm of robotics and artificial intelligence.
The team’s first objective is to develop robots optimised for Byte’s e-commerce operations. These robots will be tasked with streamlining various aspects of the e-commerce transaction process, including sorting, grouping, packaging in warehouses, and facilitating efficient delivery to consumers.
The second part of Byte Robotics’ vision involves the exploration of cutting-edge technology such as AI. By harnessing the power of AI large models, the team aims to elevate the capabilities of their robots, bringing AI and robotics closer together and driving advancements in automation and intelligence within the field of robotics.
While the exact form of these robots remains undecided, they will be tailored to suit the specific demands of Byte’s e-commerce performance. The team has left room for flexibility in the manufacturing process, not setting a specific target for the number of robots to be produced this year. In the meantime, ByteDance has been actively recruiting top talent in the field of robot research and development.
Previously, ByteDance’s investments in robots were mainly exploratory in the technical realm. With more substantial plans for expansion, however, the team has grown to around 50 members, with intentions to expand to 100 by the end of 2023.
In a round of discussions held in June 2023, ByteDance’s management expressed their belief that the future of Byte robots lies in their seamless integration with existing businesses, enabling them to serve various purposes and industries. The company is also exploring the combination of large models and robots as well as carefully exploring the commercial viability of humanoid robots.
While still in the beginning stages, ByteDance’s recent venture into robotics and AI integration holds immense potential for the future of its e-commerce operations.
