Today, Doubao Mobile Assistant released a statement titled "Notice on Adjusting AI's Ability to Operate Phones," announcing that it will standardize some of the AI's capabilities to automatically operate phones over the coming period. The official emphasized that technological advancement should not come at the expense of user rights, and will actively communicate with relevant platforms to jointly promote clearer and more predictable industry rules, avoiding situations where users' reasonable use of AI is restricted in a blanket manner.
Doubao Mobile Assistant gained widespread market attention during its preview version for showcasing capabilities such as ordering takeout, booking flights, price comparisons, shopping, replying to WeChat messages, and even controlling mini-game applications. However, after the official launch, multiple users reported that when using the "operate phone" feature to control certain third-party apps (especially WeChat), they encountered login restrictions. There were also rumors that Doubao Mobile Assistant "lacks authorized access to system capabilities."
In response to the related controversies, Doubao Mobile Assistant clearly stated that all steps of AI operating the phone require active user authorization, and users can terminate the process at any time. If the task involves sensitive permissions of third-party apps, users will be required to perform a second manual confirmation. Despite this, there are still voices outside that "user data authorization cannot replace the authorization mechanism of third-party platforms," and the discussion continues to escalate.
To find a balance between technological exploration, industry rules, and user experience, Doubao Mobile Assistant announced a new round of capability tightening. According to the notice, this adjustment mainly affects three scenarios: first, to maintain platform ecology, AI automation operations within various apps for scoring or earning incentives will be restricted; second, to ensure financial security, further restrictions will be placed on automated operations in financial apps such as banks and internet payment services; third, to address potential unfair competition in game environments, support for AI operation in certain competitive games will be suspended.
Doubao Mobile Assistant stated that it will continue to improve product capabilities and work with the entire industry to explore more mature technical boundaries and rule systems, ensuring that AI technology continues to provide value to users without disrupting the ecological order.
