Forget AI KPIs: how China’s tech giants are rationing tokens for employees

Employees at Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent and ByteDance all report tightening token policies, with some staff asked to co-pay to use US AI models

When generative artificial intelligence first swept through China’s technology sector, workers faced a clear directive from management: use AI and use it often.

But those computing allowances are now being sharply rolled back as China’s leading internet companies introduce token quotas to rein in rising AI-related costs, according to staff who spoke with the South China Morning Post on condition of anonymity.

At ByteDance, one employee said staff using closed-source models must co-pay out of pocket. The company reimburses roughly half of external tool costs, capping annual payouts at around US$1,000 for technical staff and interns, and US$300 for non-technical employees, according to the staff member.