Core Viewpoint - ByteDance denies that Li Hang has officially stepped down as the head of the AI Lab, stating that he has retired and been rehired, with his management scope remaining unchanged [1][3]. Group 1: Company Structure and Changes - The AI Lab was established in 2016 to provide innovative technology for ByteDance's content platforms, with research results applied to various products under the company [1]. - Initially led by Ma Weiying, the AI Lab contributed significantly to the explosive growth of ByteDance's products, establishing an early advantage in AI applications [1]. - In 2020, the AI Lab's focus shifted from group-level forward-looking projects to a technology platform supporting the commercialization team, with reporting lines changing from Zhang Yiming to Douyin head Zhang Nan [1]. Group 2: Leadership Transition - Li Hang took over as head of the AI Lab in mid-2020 after Ma Weiying's departure, and in 2023, the NLP group and PixleDance were transferred under the Seed division [1][4]. - In February 2025, former Google DeepMind VP Wu Yonghui joined ByteDance as the head of foundational research for large models, changing Li Hang's reporting line to Wu Yonghui [4]. Group 3: Industry Trends - The phenomenon of rehiring retired employees is rare in the internet industry, highlighting Li Hang's unique professional capabilities and ByteDance's emphasis on top talent [4]. - As the internet industry in China matures, many pioneers are reaching retirement age, prompting companies to implement rehiring and honorary retirement policies to show respect and care for long-term contributors [4].