ByteDance chatbot Doubao still China’s top AI app as DeepSeek loses users

South China Morning Post - Sep 17, 2025

ByteDance-owned Doubao remains the most popular artificial intelligence app in mainland China, with 157 million monthly active users (MAUs) in August, as rival DeepSeek’s namesake chatbot continued to lose market share. Launched by TikTok and Douyin owner ByteDance in August 2023, Doubao has recorded consistent growth so far this year, with a 6.6 per cent increase in the number of users from July, according to data compiled by market research firm QuestMobile. By contrast, second-ranked...

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