25-5-2023 (Hong Kong) TikTok, the popular social media platform, is currently testing an innovative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot designed to engage with users about short videos and enhance their content discovery experience, according to app intelligence firm Watchful Technologies.
Watchful Technologies, based in Israel, revealed that it has discovered the AI chatbot called “Tako” on certain versions of the TikTok app available on Apple Inc’s mobile devices.
Screenshots and videos shared by Watchful Technologies with Reuters depicted the chatbot as a prominent ghost-shaped icon on the app’s interface. Users can tap on this icon while watching videos to initiate text-based conversations and seek assistance in finding relevant content.
In response to inquiries about Tako, a TikTok spokesperson stated that the platform is constantly exploring new technologies. The spokesperson said, “In select markets, we’re testing new ways to power search and discovery on TikTok, and we look forward to learning from our community as we continue to create a safe place that entertains, inspires creativity, and drives culture.”
This development comes in the wake of OpenAI’s launch of ChatGPT, a cutting-edge chatbot supported by Microsoft Corp, which offers arguably the most natural interaction capabilities to date. Consequently, the industry has witnessed a race to develop features based on groundbreaking generative AI, with TikTok rival Snap Inc introducing “My AI,” powered by ChatGPT technology.
In April, US media outlets reported that TikTok was experimenting with a generative AI tool that allows users to create avatars. Chinese media also revealed that ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company based in China, is working on a large AI model. However, the Chinese counterpart of TikTok, Douyin, currently does not provide AI chatbot features.
Last month, TikTok filed a disclosure with the US Patent and Trademark Office, submitting a trademark application for “TikTok Tako” in various categories, including “computer software for the artificial production of human speech and text.”
Daniel Buchuk, a researcher at Watchful, explained that his team discovered references to Tako on certain versions of the TikTok app earlier this month, including a test version on an iOS device in the United States. Watchful employs computer vision and data analysis to identify and simulate app changes, monitoring devices across different countries. However, they were unable to determine the specific markets in which TikTok was conducting its tests.
Unlike ChatGPT, which positions itself as a versatile chatbot, Tako functions more like a navigation assistant with a specific emphasis on encouraging users to watch more videos, noted Buchuk. He stated, “So if you’re asking ‘When was King Charles’ coronation?’ Tako will tell you the answer, but then you’ll also see relevant TikTok videos.”
