Doubao addresses rumors of major layoffs amid organizational shifts

A trending topic on Weibo on September 24, 2026, highlighted employee concerns about Doubao becoming an 'edge product.' Earlier media reports had mentioned a reduction in personnel within the Doubao Session team, sparking online rumors of layoffs and claims that the conversation team had been cut in half. Liuxing, Doubao's public relations officer, clarified that these were organizational adjustments, not layoffs. He explained that some functions were transferred to the Doubao transaction and work teams, with 11 people affected, three of whom left. He dismissed claims of a 200 million user impact as false. The situation reflects a broader trend of frequent organizational restructuring in the domestic AI sector, often leading to exaggerated interpretations of layoffs. Companies are increasingly using public statements to manage industry perceptions. Liuxing emphasized that the team, which has less than 50 members, continues to handle conversation-related tasks, with many employees remaining unaffected.