TikTok recently announced a significant shift in its content moderation strategy, transitioning towards greater reliance on artificial intelligence and resulting in the layoff of hundreds of employees globally, including a substantial number in Malaysia.
Insiders report that over 700 positions in Malaysia, mostly related to content moderation, were affected. However, TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, clarified that fewer than 500 employees were actually impacted.
This move comes as part of TikTok's broader strategy to enhance its content review processes by integrating automatic detection systems with human reviewers. A spokesperson stated the company aims to invest $2 billion globally this year in trust and safety, with AI technology currently responsible for removing 80% of infringing content automatically.
Globally, ByteDance employs over 110,000 people across 200 cities. The company plans to continue optimizing regional operations in the coming months.
Earlier reports indicated an increase in malicious content on Malaysian social platforms, subjecting technology companies to heightened regulatory scrutiny. It's unclear if these layoffs at TikTok are connected to such regulatory pressures.