Doubao explores paid tiers in pursuit of AI profitability

Doubao, a flagship artificial intelligence app developed by Chinese tech company ByteDance, is testing a tiered subscription model that would charge users up to 500 yuan ($73) per month, a move that industry experts called a clear sign of Chinese AI large model developers pivoting from increasing user volume to generating revenue.

A recent service notice on Doubao's app store page outlined three monthly pricing tiers: a standard plan for 68 yuan, an advanced plan for 200 yuan and a professional plan for 500 yuan. ByteDance said the plans are still being tested and full details will be released through official channels, adding that some free services will also continue.

People familiar with the matter told China Daily that the paid features will target more complex, productivity-driven use cases, including automated PowerPoint generation, deep data analytics and film or video content creation.