As per reports, Zhang Yiming, the visionary founder of ByteDance, unequivocally stated during an internal company meeting that the organization will refrain from employing model distillation techniques to bolster the capabilities of its AI models. This strategic decision comes amid Washington's intensified crackdown on model distillation practices, a move aimed at steering clear of any potential political risks that could stem from such technical maneuvers. Zhang Yiming is of the opinion that, when weighed against TikTok's sprawling global business operations, the disparity in domestic model rankings simply does not justify taking such a risk.