Yang Jianchao, the leader of ByteDance's Doubao large model's visual multimodal generation division, has announced a temporary leave of absence due to personal family matters and work-related stress. In his absence, Zhou Chang, a former technical lead of Alibaba's Tongyi Qianwen large model, will assume the reins. Notably, despite Yang Jianchao's temporary departure, his information remains accessible within ByteDance's internal systems.

Zhou Chang joined ByteDance's Seed team in July 2025, a dedicated group focusing on visual model research that encompasses image and video generation, along with foundational research. With offices spanning North America, Singapore, and China, the Seed team is at the forefront of ByteDance's AI innovations. The recent high-level management shifts within ByteDance's AI sector have raised questions about the stability of its technological roadmap. However, the company has assured stakeholders that its long-standing commitment to foundational research remains unwavering.