ByteDance’s AI subscription gamble: chatbot faces reality check in China

Chloe Wang, a 26-year-old employee in Shenzhen, expressed her unwillingness to pay for a subscription to Doubao, ByteDance's AI chatbot. She finds Doubao user-friendly but believes the proposed price is unjustified. Wang is open to paying for AI tools but prefers not to spend excessively. Wang considers Doubao a decent domestic product but would opt for alternatives if the costs are high. She occasionally uses the app for work-related inquiries but is not convinced of its subscription value. This reflects a broader hesitation among users regarding high subscription fees for AI services.