Doubao AI assistant faces rejection from 155 major Chinese apps

ByteDance’s Doubao mobile assistant has faced a significant setback as 155 major Chinese applications officially declined to participate in its Screen Automation Execution Protocol (SAEP). Following a 30-day public notice period, a list of refusing apps was released, including industry giants such as WeChat, Alipay, Taobao, Meituan, and Pinduoduo, as well as AI competitors like DeepSeek and Kimi.

The refusal specifically targets the AI’s ability to perform automated operations on behalf of users, such as navigating interfaces, clicking buttons, or completing transactions. While users can still manually use these apps on Doubao-powered devices, the AI agent is barred from acting as an intermediary.

Industry analysts suggest the mass rejection stems from concerns over traffic sovereignty, data privacy, and security. Major platforms fear that if an AI assistant handles tasks like shopping or food delivery, the assistant becomes the primary user interface, stripping the original apps of their advertising revenue, user engagement, and data control. Additionally, companies have raised security concerns regarding automated screen recording and simulated clicks, which can mimic malicious bot behavior.