Douyin Launches ‘V Project’, Introduces AI Avatar Feature

Douyin is advancing a project called “V” that aims to expand the boundaries of live streaming and interaction. The “V” signifies endless possibilities for exploration, innovation, and breakthroughs. The goal of the V project is to make Douyin more fun by providing users with a more interesting interactive experience through virtual interactions, gamified gameplay, and other methods.

Through the V project, creators can develop avatars similar to their own personality traits and thinking habits, allowing users to interact with AI avatars of creators. They can also engage in various types of virtual creation and intellectual property management to make virtual interactions more enjoyable. Users can experience a variety of gameplay options such as Douyin mini-games, social games, live interactive features on platforms like live streaming and social media channels.

The project’s products include live game interactions already available within the Douyin app as well as recently promoted AI avatar functions.

Among them, the AI avatar is worth paying attention to. The AI avatar is based on the Doubao large model algorithm, originally called AI Space. It started testing within the Douyin app at the beginning of this year and officially launched in November.

From a user experience perspective, the content generated by the AI avatar is all created by AI, not by the original creator themselves. The AI avatar can interact with users in scenarios set by creators and can be available for interaction online 24 hours a day.

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At present, based on AI avatars, 5 branches of AI interactive functions have been further subdivided:

AI Interactive Space: For example, Douyin creators have opened AI interactive spaces where users can enter the space by clicking on their profile picture and interact with the creator’s AI avatar.

AI Group Chat: For example, Douyin creators can actively add their AI avatars to group chats between users and creators so that group members can chat and interact with the creator’s AI avatar.

AI Private Messages: For example, if a Douyin creator enables the function of an AI avatar responding to private messages, the avatar will reply to user messages on behalf of the creator or send messages proactively.

AI Comments: For example, if a Douyin creator enables automatic comment replies from an AI avatar, the avatar may automatically respond to comments left by users under videos posted by the creator.

Live Streaming with AIs: For example, if a Douyin creator enables automatic comment replies during live streaming from an AI avatar, it may automatically respond to comments sent by users while watching the live stream.

For the Douyin platform, if it can successfully promote and apply AI avatar function, attracting more users and creators, it may have the potential to occupy a more important position in the social field and pose a threat to other social platforms.

For example, AI avatars can enhance interaction between users and creators, enriching user experience. Users may increase their stay time and frequency of use on Douyin because they are interested in an AI avatar of a particular creator. This could lead to some users leaning towards spending more social time on Douyin, reducing attention and usage of other social platforms.

However, answers and suggestions from AI avatars are based on algorithms and data training, which may contain certain errors or inaccuracies. If the responses given by the AI avatar do not align with the real views of the creator or provide incorrect information, it may affect users’ trust in the creator.

Currently, it appears that the AI ecosystem within the Douyin app is accelerating its development. The content side, creation side, and social side have all integrated AI services; thus making AI an important direction for advancing within the Douyin app.

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