ByteDance bites down hard on genAI

More: Canva acquires Affinity. [Read from your browser]( Daily Newsletter Welcome to Tech in Asia's free Daily Newsletter! Get full access to our subscribers-only Daily Newsletter and other insightful analysis on the big and messy topics of Asia’s tech and startup community by [registering here](.  --------------------------------------------------------------- IN FOCUS In today's newsletter, we spotlight: - ByteDance’s recruitment push to [boost its genAI capabilities]( - A Vietnamese platform’s US$2.1 million pre-series B round - Other newsy highlights such as Canva acquiring Affinity --------------------------------------------------------------- Hello {NAME} Call me old-fashioned, but I’m somewhat worried about the effect that generative AI (genAI) will have on kids once combined effectively with social media. Already, it seems like social media is turning out to be hugely detrimental to young users, from body image issues to cyberbullying and even extremist, radical content. Add in an unhealthy dose of misinformation, and you’ve got a formula for potential disaster. Of course, that’s not to say that social media is all bad. It can help people find the right community, make friends by talking about the same things they’ve seen online, and more. But once genAI gets added to the mix, what happens then? Will we end up seeing more users turn to genAI apps and tools - instead of their friends - to beautify their online image and persona? It’s an interesting question for sure. That said, I’m not going all doom and gloom about this. Perhaps there are opportunities for genAI to do some good in the social media space, and hopefully ByteDance’s efforts in this area turn out to be one of those healthy pushes. -- Jonathan  ---------------------------------------------------------------  THE BIG STORY [ByteDance eyes Singapore for genAI push, posts several job openings]( The Chinese tech giant recently put up over 100 job openings for generative AI, largely in Singapore and the US. --------------------------------------------------------------- TRENDING NEWS [Vietnamese food-sourcing firm raises $2.1m after hitting profitability in 2023]( Kamereo aims to use the fresh funds to secure market leadership in its home country. [Canva eyes professional design market with largest buy yet]( The Affinity acquisition, valued at “several hundred million pounds,” helps Canva go toe to toe with the professional-focused services of Adobe. --------------------------------------------------------------- TECH IN ASIA REGIONAL FOUNDERS MEETUP: SINGAPORE An exclusive sneak peek at the people you’ll meet on April 24 Join us on the evening of April 24 to connect with founders, startup leaders, and investors from the likes of Anywheel, HSBC, TikTok, GoBike, Antler, AIDA, Omni HR, StashAway, GFR Fund, and more. 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