Overview
- Doubao announced the 30-day public notice for its Screen Automation Execution Protocol ended and said it will gradually open screen-automation for third-party apps that did not submit a refusal, while honoring apps that explicitly declined and allowing developers to change their choice at any time.
- The company published a refusal list that totals 155 apps, including 66 from Tencent, 23 tied to Alibaba, 11 from Meituan, and 14 from Kuaishou, showing major platforms largely closed their apps to AI-driven automation.
- Doubao’s automation runs with system-level privileges that can read screens in the background and simulate clicks and form fills, a design that differs from foreground-only accessibility tools and that has previously triggered app risk systems and user-facing problems, including login blocks reported on Sept. 24 with the Nubia NaviX Ultra and 王者荣耀.
- App operators say they refuse automation to protect in‑app traffic and to avoid fraud or anti-cheat flags, while industry sources warn there is no clear standard for liability if automation causes account bans, unauthorized payments, or content errors.
- The move effectively fragments the Chinese mobile ecosystem: users will see uneven AI assistant access across apps, and the dispute makes technical standards, platform agreements, or regulator guidance the next necessary steps to fix compatibility, security, and responsibility gaps.