Reportedly: ByteDance's Doubao phone assistant faces rejection from 155 apps over screen automation
Reported by GeekPark · not yet confirmed by the company or a second independent outlet. We update this page when it is.
ByteDance's Doubao phone assistant saw 155 third-party apps reject its AI screen automation after the SAEP protocol's 30-day public comment period ended on October 14, GeekPark reported. Tencent, Alibaba, Meituan, Kuaishou, Kimi, and DeepSeek products are among those refusing automation. The protocol lets developers decide whether to allow Doubao's screen recognition and simulated clicks.
China context
- Original name
- 豆包
- Outside China
- Not stated in the sources yet
- Claims
- Company-reported; not yet independently evaluated
- For builders
- Developers outside China building AI assistants that automate other apps should note that Chinese app developers now have a formal opt-out mechanism; similar protocols may emerge in other markets, requiring assistant builders to respect app-level permissions.
- For investors
- The rejection list signals that major Chinese internet platforms are protecting their traffic from AI agents, which could limit the growth of cross-app automation startups and affect valuations of companies relying on such capabilities.
Translated from Chinese. Quotes and facts link to the original sources.
On October 14, the 30-day public comment period for Doubao phone assistant's Screen Automation Operation Statement Protocol (SAEP) ended, and ByteDance published a list of 155 third-party apps that refuse AI automation. The list includes products from Tencent, Alibaba, Meituan, Kuaishou, as well as AI products Kimi and DeepSeek. SAEP gives app developers the choice to allow or deny Doubao assistant's screen recognition, simulated clicks, and other automated operations. During the comment period, apps were closed by default; after it ended, apps that did not explicitly refuse will be gradually opened according to risk levels, and those that refused can adjust their statements at any time. The automation permission only affects AI-driven operations, not manual use of the apps. Previously, the Nubia NaviX Ultra with Doubao phone assistant triggered game risk-control conflicts, showing long-standing implicit tensions. The refusal list is concentrated among platforms with independent traffic loops, where security risks and traffic sovereignty are core concerns. SAEP turns implicit conflicts into public rule negotiation, marking the start of open competition for mobile AI entry rights. Industry observers see this as the beginning of ecosystem rights confirmation in the agent era, with further refinement of permissions, responsibility division, and benefit distribution still needed.
SAEP is a protocol that shifts control of AI screen automation to app developers. It defines whether Doubao assistant can perform screen recognition and simulated clicks within an app. The protocol's default is closed during the comment period, then risk-based gradual opening for apps that did not refuse. This creates a technical permission layer between the assistant and third-party apps, potentially requiring runtime checks or manifest declarations. The evidence does not detail the technical implementation, such as API calls or OS-level hooks.
App developers gain a formal mechanism to block Doubao's screen automation, protecting their traffic and security; ByteDance must now negotiate access app by app, which could slow Doubao assistant's expansion on Android devices outside its own ecosystem.
For ByteDance, the rejection list limits the reach of Doubao phone assistant, potentially reducing its utility as a cross-app automation tool and affecting device partnerships like Nubia. For app developers, SAEP provides a way to protect user data and engagement from AI-driven interactions. The protocol could become a standard for AI agent access on mobile platforms.
Watch whether apps that did not explicitly refuse actually open automation permissions after risk grading, and whether any refused apps later change their statements. Also monitor if other phone assistants adopt similar protocols, and whether regulators issue guidance on AI screen automation.