TikTok owner ByteDance is reportedly developing robots to serve the company’s e-commerce fulfillment needs by automatically picking and packing goods in its warehouses. Tesla’s update on its humanoid robot in May reportedly prompted ByteDance executives including founder Zhang Yiming to accelerate the company’s own robotics development program. Chinese media outlet LatePost reported that ByteDance has been exploring robotics since 2020, primarily focusing on technological experimentation. Additionally, the company is also planning to leverage AI model capabilities in the field. ByteDance’s robotics team currently consists of around 50 employees, with plans to expand to hundreds by the end of the year, according to LatePost. [LatePost, in Chinese]