TikTok's owner is working on a rival chatbot builder to OpenAI, a new report says

ByteDance is joining the AI arms race as it reportedly prepares to launch a rival to OpenAI's "GPTs.". The TikTok owner is planning to build a platform that will let users create their own chatbots, similar to the customizable versions of ChatGPT that OpenAI unveiled at its recent developer day, per a report from the South China Morning Post. ByteDance, which is working on an image-generating tool similar to Midjourney and Stable Diffusion, is reportedly planning to launch the "Bot development platform" as a public beta by the end of the month. It comes after OpenAI announced an update that allowed users to create customizable versions of ChatGPT that can be used for specialized tasks such as coding, tech support, and creative writing, known as "GPTs," in November. The company plans to allow developers to sell these "GPTs" through a "GPT store," although this new platform was recently delayed till next year following the chaotic firing and rehiring of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. ByteDance's pivot towards AI comes as calls grow for the company's most successful product, TikTok, to be banned in the US over national security concerns. ByteDance did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider made outside normal working hours.