ByteDance has expanded its offerings to include software that can generate videos based on text prompts, which puts it in line with a growing number of Chinese tech firms entering an emerging market also targeted by OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT.
Microsoft-backed OpenAI unveiled its text-to-video model Sora in February, but it is not yet open to the public. Chinese companies have rapidly developed similar tools, with several launching models that are accessible to users. Jimeng AI, developed by ByteDance-owned Faceu Technology, is now available on the Apple App Store for Chinese users, as observed by Reuters on Tuesday.
It was released on Android on July 31. The launch of a text-to-video model by the parent company of the short video app TikTok follows a series of similar model releases in recent months in China. Kuaishou, one of China’s largest video apps, made its Kling AI text-to-video model accessible globally at the end of last month, with its beta version available worldwide, requiring only an email address for registration.
Chinese AI startup Zhipu AI introduced its video-generating model Ying last month, and another startup, Shengshu, officially launched its Vidu app just days after its launch. Faceu Technology operates under ByteDance’s Jianying business, which is best known for its video editing app CapCut. Jimeng AI offers subscriptions at 69 yuan ($9.65) monthly, 79 yuan for a single month, or 659 yuan annually. Each plan allows users to create about 2,050 images or 168 AI-generated videos per month.