Chao Peng

Chao Peng is a Principal Research Scientist at ByteDance where he leads the Trae Research team (ByteDance Software Engineering Lab), conducting cutting-edge research on AI agents for software engineering. He also serves as a Part-time Postgraduate Student Mentor at Fudan University's School of Computer Science, bridging industry research with academic mentorship.

• PhD in Informatics (2021), University of Edinburgh, UK
• MSc in High Performance Computing and Data Science (2017), University of Edinburgh, UK
• BEng in Computer Science and Technology (2016), Xuzhou University of Technology, China

Dr. Peng's research focuses on the intersection of software testing, program analysis, and large language models. His work explores how AI agents can revolutionize software engineering practices, with particular emphasis on automated bug detection, code generation, and testing frameworks. He has pioneered approaches for evaluating LLM performance in software engineering contexts and developing agent-based systems that enhance developer productivity while maintaining code quality and security.

His recent publications demonstrate a clear trend toward integrating large language models with traditional software engineering practices. The research spans code generation evaluation, security vulnerability detection, automated bug reproduction, and issue localization. These works collectively advance the field of AI-assisted software development by addressing practical challenges in reliability, security, and efficiency of AI-generated code.

• Distinguished Reviewer for FSE'25
• School of Informatics Scholarship (fully-funded PhD scholarship)
• Outstanding Graduate Scholarship at Xuzhou University of Technology
• Multiple China National Scholarships
• Honours Spot Bonus at ByteDance
• Certificate of Achievement for HPCAC Student Cluster Competition

Dr. Peng actively mentors students through his role at Fudan University and previously at the University of Edinburgh, where he served as sub-supervisor for MSc projects and teaching assistant for software testing courses. His research has attracted significant industry attention, leading to multiple collaborations between ByteDance and academic institutions. He frequently serves on program committees for major software engineering conferences including ASE, FSE, and ICSE, demonstrating his leadership in the field.

As leader of the Trae Research team at ByteDance Software Engineering Lab, Dr. Peng oversees research on AI agents for software engineering, including the application and evaluation of AI agents and training LLMs for agent-based systems. The lab's work focuses on practical systems that predict, detect, diagnose, and fix bugs across various software systems, with particular emphasis on real-world applications and measurable impact on developer productivity.