ByteDance has introduced a software capable of creating videos from text prompts, aligning with a trend among Chinese tech companies venturing into a burgeoning market also pursued by OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT. Following Microsoft-backed OpenAI's unveiling of its text-to-video model Sora in February, which remains unavailable for public use, several Chinese firms have swiftly developed comparable tools, with some already accessible to users.
Jimeng AI, developed by ByteDance's subsidiary Faceu Technology, is now available on the Apple App Store for Chinese users, as confirmed by Reuters' checks on Tuesday, after its debut on Android on July 31. This move by the parent company of TikTok, a popular short video app, comes amid a recent wave of similar model launches in China. Kuaishou, one of the country's major video platforms, has also made its Kling AI text-to-video model available globally, with its beta version accessible worldwide via simple email registration.
Additionally, Chinese AI startup Zhipu AI released its video-generating model Ying last month, and shortly thereafter, another startup, Shengshu, officially launched its Vidu app. Faceu Technology, operating under ByteDance's Jianying division, known for its video editing app CapCut, offers Jimeng AI subscriptions at 69 yuan ($9.65) per month, 79 yuan for a single month, or 659 yuan annually. Each subscription plan allows users to generate approximately 2,050 images or 168 AI videos each month.
