Baidu just dropped something pretty interesting in the AI scene. After their recent launch of Ernie X1.1 deep thinking model, they’ve now released PP-OCRv5, a new optical character recognition model that’s available on Hugging Face. What makes this one stand out? It’s designed to be really good at reading text while staying surprisingly lightweight.

The thing is, those massive vision-language models we keep hearing about? They’re impressive, but they can struggle when it comes to the nitty-gritty work of reading structured text accurately. That’s where PP-OCRv5 comes in. Baidu built this one specifically to tackle those limitations head-on.

Here’s what’s cool about it: the model works in two main stages – first it finds where text is located in an image, then it actually reads what that text says. This approach helps it nail down exactly where text appears and draw precise boxes around it, which is super handy if you’re trying to pull data from documents or analyze forms.

The efficiency is pretty remarkable too. We’re talking about just 0.07 billion parameters – that’s tiny compared to the giants in this space. Baidu tested it on mobile setups and found it could churn through over 370 characters per second on an Intel Xeon processor. That means you could actually run this thing on regular computers or even edge devices without needing massive server farms.

When Baidu put PP-OCRv5 head-to-head with the big names like GPT-4o, Gemini 2.5 Pro, and Qwen2.5-VL on OCR tasks, their model came out ahead. It handles both printed and handwritten text pretty well, and it’s not just limited to English – it works with Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Pinyin, and actually supports more than 40 languages total.

The technical setup is straightforward but smart. It starts by cleaning up the image – fixing rotation issues, reducing distortion, that sort of thing. Then it finds where text lines are located, figures out which way they’re oriented, and finally converts those characters into readable text. The whole process is designed to give you precise coordinates for where each piece of text sits, which is crucial if you’re scanning invoices or processing forms where layout matters.

What’s nice is that Baidu made this available to everyone through Hugging Face. For developers and businesses dealing with lots of multilingual documents or just needing solid OCR capabilities without the overhead of massive models, PP-OCRv5 looks like it could be a practical choice that actually gets the job done.

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Baidu is back with another AI announcement, and this time they’re really swinging for the fences. The Chinese tech giant just rolled out Ernie X1.1, which they’re calling a major upgrade to their previous Ernie X1 model.

What’s New Under the Hood?

Wang Haifeng, Baidu’s Chief Technology Officer, presented the new model as something special. Built on their Ernie 4.5 foundation, X1.1 uses what they call a “hybrid reinforcement learning framework”, basically combining different AI training techniques to make the model smarter.

The technical details might sound dry, but the results Baidu is claiming are pretty impressive. They say X1.1 is significantly better than its predecessor:

• 34.8% more accurate with facts
• 12.5% better at following instructions
• 9.6% improvement in handling complex tasks

The Big Claims

Here’s where things get interesting (and a bit bold). Baidu isn’t just comparing their new model to their own previous work; they’re taking shots at the competition. They claim Ernie X1.1 outperforms DeepSeek’s R1-0528 model across multiple tests.

But wait, there’s more. They’re also saying their model can go toe-to-toe with some of the biggest names in AI, specifically mentioning performance comparable to GPT-5 and Google‘s Gemini 2.5 Pro in certain areas.

Where Can You Try It?

If you’re curious to test it out, Baidu has made X1.1 available through their usual channels – the Ernie Bot website and their Wenxiaoyan app. For businesses and developers, they’ve also deployed it on their Qianfan AI Cloud platform.

The Bigger Picture

This launch isn’t happening in isolation. Baidu also updated their PaddlePaddle deep learning framework to version 3.2, making it better for training large AI models and working with different types of hardware. They’ve been busy updating their development tools too.

The numbers they’re throwing around are pretty staggering – apparently, their AI ecosystem now supports over 23 million developers and serves 760,000 companies. That’s a massive user base, especially concentrated in China.

What This Really Means

Let’s be honest – every AI company is making big claims about their latest models these days. But Baidu’s push with X1.1 represents something important: the global AI race is heating up, and Chinese companies aren’t content to just follow along.

Whether Ernie X1.1 actually lives up to these bold comparisons with GPT-5 and Gemini remains to be seen. Independent testing and real-world use will be the real judge. But one thing’s for sure, Baidu is clearly positioning itself as a serious player on the global AI stage, not just in China.

The competition between AI giants is only getting more intense, and that’s probably good news for everyone who uses these tools.

In related news, Baidu has recently introduced GenFlow 2.0, its latest AI agent framework designed to deliver real-world task execution.

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Baidu is making some bold claims about its latest AI creation. At Baidu AI Day Open Day, the Chinese search and cloud computing giant unveiled GenFlow 2.0, which it’s billing as “the world’s first all-platform general-purpose intelligent agent.” The system promises to solve one of AI’s most persistent problems: actually completing complex, multi-step tasks without making users wait around or deliver disappointing results.

100 agents, three minutes, bold promises

The pitch is compelling, if ambitious. GenFlow 2.0 can supposedly orchestrate more than 100 specialized AI agents working in parallel, completing over five complex tasks simultaneously within a three-minute window. Baidu claims the system is 10 times faster than competing platforms, delivering what it calls “minute-level output” with processes that humans can interrupt and modify as needed.

Unlike many AI agent platforms that require invitation codes or put users in queues, GenFlow 2.0 is immediately available to anyone through Baidu Wenku’s web and mobile platforms. This accessibility could be crucial for adoption, especially as users grow frustrated with AI tools that promise the world but gate access behind waitlists and beta programs.

The technical complexity behind the curtain

The technical architecture behind GenFlow 2.0 sounds appropriately complex for its ambitious goals. Baidu has built a proprietary Multi-Agent engine paired with an optimized context management system designed to create what the company calls an “information ecosystem for the model.” The platform uses dynamic hybrid inference and multi-mode intelligent scheduling to handle complex workflows, while incorporating both public knowledge and private user data to enhance results.

Perhaps more importantly for real-world usage, GenFlow 2.0 includes systems for multimodal data understanding, both short and long-term memory, and multi-level risk controls. The platform also supports the Model Control Protocol (MCP), which should allow third-party services to integrate more easily with Baidu’s ecosystem.

Honor partnership brings agents to your phone

The most interesting partnership announcement involves Honor. Honor has become one of the first hardware partners to join Baidu’s MCP ecosystem, natively integrating GenFlow 2.0 into its YOYO smart assistant. This integration could give Honor’s MagicOS users system-level AI agent capabilities, allowing them to access their Baidu Netdisk files, search through documents, generate presentations, and perform other complex tasks through voice commands or touch interfaces.

The scale of Baidu’s content ecosystem provides a significant advantage here. Baidu Wenku hosts over 1.4 billion pieces of professional content and serves 97 million monthly active AI users, while Baidu Netdisk claims more than 1 billion total users, including 200 million monthly actives and 80 million AI users. This massive content repository could give GenFlow 2.0’s agents a substantial knowledge base to work with.

The reality check on AI agent promises

This launch builds on Baidu’s previous “Cangzhou OS,” which the company described as the world’s first content-centric operating system and formed the foundation for the original GenFlow platform. That system already supported multimodal input and output, multi-agent coordination, and MCP compatibility.

The real test will be whether GenFlow 2.0 can deliver on its promises in daily use. AI agents have consistently struggled with reliability, accuracy, and the ability to handle complex, ambiguous instructions. If Baidu has cracked the code on fast, reliable multi-agent coordination, it could represent a significant leap forward for practical AI applications. But given the industry’s track record of overpromising and underdelivering on AI agents, users should probably manage their expectations while remaining cautiously optimistic.

In related news, China is turning to AI to address its legal service gaps, with a new model trained on 200 million cases aiming to assist underserved regions.

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Baidu’s autonomous driving unit Apollo and leading car rental company CAR Inc. have officially launched the world’s first autonomous car rental service for the general public. The service went live on Tuesday in Wuhan, China, following the announcement of the partnership between the two companies in May.

The new service allows users to rent fully driverless vehicles without any human assistance. It runs on Baidu Apollo’s Level 4 autonomous driving platform and integrates with CAR Inc.’s national rental network. This marks the first time in China that a car rental service combines fully autonomous driving with a self-service rental process.

Users can access the service through the CAR Inc. mobile app. The booking process includes selecting a time and pickup location. The system then dispatches the nearest available autonomous vehicle. After ID verification, the vehicle drives itself to the pickup spot and unlocks automatically. Once the ride is complete, the car navigates on its own to the drop-off location.

The current fleet features custom-built Apollo vehicles that seat up to three passengers. The vehicles use Baidu’s driverless technology and are designed for short to mid-term rentals. The service supports bookings from four hours up to seven days and follows CAR Inc.’s existing pricing structure.

During the rental period, users can set their own routes within the designated operational area. The service targets a wide range of use cases, including daily commuting, weekend travel, and tourism.

Baidu and CAR Inc. said the service aims to support users who may not drive, such as elderly individuals, tourists, and people with disabilities. The companies plan to expand the service to more regions in China as part of a broader strategy to modernize the country’s car rental industry. Analysts expect the Chinese rental market to surpass 300 billion yuan (approximately $41 billion) by 2030.

As autonomous technology continues to mature and regulatory frameworks adapt, this pioneering service is set to transform the way people perceive and utilize personal transportation, potentially ushering in an era where vehicle ownership becomes less of a necessity and mobility-as-a-service becomes the norm.

In related news, the Lucid Air Grand Touring has set a new world record with a 1,205 km range on a single charge. Meanwhile, Geely has launched the Galaxy A7 hybrid sedan, boasting a fuel efficiency of 2.67L/100km, a total range of 2,100 km, and 21 aerodynamic enhancements.

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On January 1, 2025, Chinese tech giant Baidu, best known for its search engine celebrated its 25th anniversary. In a letter to employees, co-founder and CEO Robin Li reflected on the company’s journey and laid out an ambitious vision for the future of artificial intelligence (AI).

Key Milestone: 40 Million Paying Users for Baidu Wenku
Robin Li highlighted Baidu Wenku, the AI-powered content creation platform, as a standout success. With over 40 million paying users and 70 million monthly active users as of November 2024, Wenku exemplifies Baidu’s strategy of leveraging large-scale applications to unlock technological potential.

Investing in Innovation
For years, Baidu has allocated more than 20% of its revenue to research and development, a commitment Li reaffirmed in his letter. He emphasized that technological breakthroughs often result from scaled applications, not the other way around. Examples include advancements in generative AI and autonomous driving, driven by extensive real-world use.

Explosive AI Growth Anticipated in 2025
Baidu forecasts rapid growth for AI-native applications across industries in 2025. While the concept of “super apps” remains unrealized, AI penetration is accelerating, powered by large language models and innovative platforms like Wenku. The company expects AI’s influence to deepen across diverse scenarios.

Staying at the Forefront of Technology
Robin Li underscored Baidu’s resilience in navigating the risks of pioneering innovation. The company remains committed to experimentation, even amid failures, adjusting quickly to ensure progress. He characterized 2024 as a microcosm of Baidu’s history—marked by both challenges and breakthroughs, such as its image-based retrieval enhancement technology and MiaoDa code generation tool.

Outlook for 2025
As AI competition intensifies, Baidu aims to solidify its leadership in the sector. The seeds of innovation planted in recent years are expected to flourish in 2025, driving market recognition and adoption.

Robin Li concluded with a call for continued perseverance and innovation, positioning Baidu to “ride the wind and waves” into a future where AI transforms industries and enriches lives.

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At the 2024 Baidu World Conference, Baidu officially launched its Xiaodu AI Glasses, presenting them as the “world’s first AI glasses equipped with a native Chinese language model.”

Designed by Baidu’s hardware division, Xiaodu Technology, these glasses showcase Baidu’s advanced Ernie language model and are geared towards integrating AI into wearable technology for the Chinese-speaking audience and challenge the popularity of Meta’s Ray-Bans.

Specifications

The Xiaodu AI Glasses weigh just 45 grams and come equipped with a 16MP ultra-wide-angle camera with AI stabilization, enabling smooth and stable first-person perspective photography. These glasses also feature a four-microphone array to effectively capture sound and open-ear anti-leakage speakers that deliver clear audio, allowing users to engage in an immersive, hands-free experience.

The glasses support six core functionalities: real-time Q&A through walk-and-ask queries, calorie recognition, object identification through an encyclopedia feature, audio-visual translation, and intelligent reminders. They are also equipped with AI anti-shake technology for photos and videos, enabling users to document their experiences seamlessly.

In terms of battery life, the Xiaodu AI Glasses offer up to 56 hours on standby and can run over 5 hours of continuous audio playback. The glasses are equipped with rapid-charging technology, enabling a full charge in just 30 minutes, making them a practical option for daily use.

The Xiaodu AI Glasses run on the DuerOS AI native operating system and are anticipated to support seamless integration with popular Baidu applications like Baidu Maps and Baike, further enhancing the user experience with Baidu’s services.

Pricing & Availability

Baidu has confirmed that the Xiaodu AI Glasses will officially launch in the first half of 2025, with an expected retail price of under 2,100 yuan (approximately $290).

In related news, Apple has begun work on a smart glasses project, codenamed “Atlas,” aiming to reshape wearable tech with a true AR experience. The project, led by Apple’s Product Systems Quality team, is currently in the research phase, gathering insights from internal focus groups. Apple aims to launch a lightweight, stylish model that initially integrates with the iPhone, leveraging its processing power, with a long-term goal of fully standalone smart glasses. However, high-quality standards mean the release maybe five years away. Meanwhile, Apple plans to release the Vision Pro 2 by 2025 or early 2026, featuring an upgraded M5 chip for improved AR capabilities.

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Baidu, the Chinese tech giant, is making significant strides in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) with its Wenxin Big Model. The company’s recent financial report revealed positive financial results and a surge in the adoption of its marquee AI product.

Cost Efficiency Drives Adoption: Baidu’s Affordable Wenxin Model Fuels Growth

While Baidu’s revenue grew modestly year-on-year, net profit witnessed a healthy 22% increase. This positive performance was attributed partly to the growing popularity of Wenxin. The big model, which was previously integrated with smartphones from China Samsung and Honor, has now secured partnerships with major players like Xiaomi, OPPO, and Vivo.

This expansion signifies a significant step forward for Baidu’s AI ambitions. Wenxin is no longer confined to smartphones; it’s branching out into personal computers (PCs) through a collaboration with Lenovo. Additionally, the electric vehicle (EV) industry is taking notice, with NIO joining the list of Wenxin partners.

Li Yanhong, Baidu’s CEO and co-founder, believes that integrating Wenxin with smart devices opens doors for large-scale adoption by a wider range of users. This strategic move positions Baidu as a key player in the burgeoning AI infrastructure landscape.

Furthermore, Baidu is actively working on reducing the inference cost of Wenxin. The latest iteration, Wenxin One Word 3.5, boasts a remarkable 99% reduction in inference cost compared to the 3.0 version. This significant decrease makes Wenxin more attractive for businesses experimenting with and developing AI-powered applications built upon the Wenxin One Word foundation.

Li Yanhong emphasizes the transformative potential of generative AI in China. He envisions foundational models like Wenxin becoming an essential infrastructure element, seamlessly woven into various facets of everyday life. Baidu’s commitment to affordability and efficiency with the Wenxin Big Model series is a strategic move that promises to unlock new opportunities for the company.

With continuous advancements and strategic partnerships, Baidu’s Wenxin Big Model is poised to become a major force in the Chinese AI landscape. As the generative AI era unfolds, Wenxin’s integration across various tech domains holds the potential to reshape the way we interact with technology and navigate the digital world, offering a compelling alternative to existing solutions like ChatGPT.

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In a significant leap forward for autonomous driving technology, Baidu Apollo unveiled its 6th Generation Robotaxi in Wuhan, marking a pivotal moment in the evolution of smart mobility. The announcement was made by Yunpeng Wang, Baidu’s Corporate Vice President and President of Intelligent Driving Group.

Key highlights of the launch include a substantial reduction in unit cost, now priced at approximately RMB 200,000 (under $30,000), marking a more than 50% decrease from the previous generation. These cost savings pave the way for large-scale deployment, with Apollo Go aiming to deploy 1000 6th Gen Robotaxis in Wuhan by 2024.

Operating on Apollo Go, Baidu’s autonomous ride-hailing platform, these vehicles signify a paradigm shift towards fully autonomous transportation. The development is bolstered by Apollo Go’s fully autonomous Robotaxi operation network in Wuhan, capable of managing every aspect of the Robotaxi operation without human intervention. This innovation not only enhances efficiency but also significantly reduces operational costs.

The introduction of Apollo ADFM, the world’s first foundation model supporting Level 4 autonomous driving, further solidifies Baidu Apollo’s position at the forefront of autonomous technology. Integrated into the 6th Gen Robotaxi, this model enables the rapid deployment of driverless operations in new cities within six months, paving the way for widespread adoption.

Moreover, the upgraded Apollo Self-Driving (ASD) intelligent driving software, based on Apollo ADFM, will be accessible on all Ji Yue vehicle models, allowing users nationwide to experience intelligent driving wherever Baidu Maps is available.

In terms of safety and market adoption, Apollo Go’s service area in Wuhan now spans over 3,000 square kilometers, serving 7.7 million people, and has provided over six million rides nationwide. Notably, Apollo Go has achieved a remarkable milestone of traveling over 100 million kilometers without any major accidents as of April 2024, reassuring users with RMB 5 million insurance coverage per Robotaxi.

With these advancements, Baidu Apollo is not only reshaping the landscape of autonomous transportation but also paving the way for a safer, more efficient future of mobility.

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Chinese tech giant Baidu introduced a wave of groundbreaking AI models and development toolkits at the Create 2024 Baidu AI Developer Conference held in Shenzhen. The event served as a platform for Baidu to unveil its latest advancements aimed at popularizing AI development and empowering individuals with varying technical expertise to contribute to the evolving AI landscape.

During his keynote speech, Robin Li, Baidu’s Co-founder, Chairman, and CEO, highlighted the growing significance of natural language as a programming language. Li said that the ability to communicate verbally could transform anyone into a developer, fostering creativity and innovation in the field of AI.

One of the key highlights from the conference was the showcase of Baidu’s ERNIE models, which have garnered significant traction since their inception. With over 200 million users, ERNIE Bot, Baidu’s conversational AI bot, has solidified its position as a pivotal innovation in China’s AI sector. Additionally, ERNIE API, managing an impressive 200 million daily queries, and Qianfan, Baidu AI Cloud’s FM platform, utilized by over 85,000 enterprise clients, highlight the widespread adoption and impact of Baidu’s AI solutions.

To further empower developers, Baidu unveiled three AI development toolkits – AgentBuilder, AppBuilder, and ModelBuilder. These toolkits aim to streamline the development process, enabling individuals with diverse technical backgrounds to create AI applications and agents with minimal coding requirements.

Another significant announcement was the introduction of Apollo VTA (Vision Takes All), Baidu’s vision foundation model for autonomous driving. Trained on extensive real-world data from over 100 million kilometers of test drives, Apollo VTA excels in visual perception, enhancing safety and adaptability in autonomous driving scenarios.

Baidu also launched the second ERNIE Cup Innovation Challenge, offering up to RMB 50 million in incentives for the next breakthrough AI product or application. This competition aims to inspire visionaries and drive innovation in the AI era.

Throughout the conference, Baidu’s CEO emphasized three pivotal AI development trends expected to shape future adoption: MoE (Mixture of Experts), small models for specific scenarios, and agents powered by foundation models.

Create 2024 provided attendees with a comprehensive program, including industry forums, AI development classes, and interactive experiences, highlighting Baidu’s dedication to democratizing AI development and fostering creativity across industries. With these groundbreaking innovations, the company aims to accelerate AI adoption and pave the way for a more vibrant and inclusive technological future.

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Tech giant Apple is in talks with Chinese internet giant Baidu to integrate Baidu’s Ernie Bot, a large language model (LLM), into its iPhone 16 and other products specifically for the Chinese market, according to a report from Cailian Press. This move comes amid Apple’s efforts to comply with China’s stricter regulations on AI-generated content.

Baidu Stock Soars on Potential Apple Deal

The report suggests Apple will leverage Ernie Bot for its iOS 18 operating system and Mac OS in China. Apple reportedly discussed with other Chinese firms like Alibaba and a Tsinghua University-affiliated AI company before choosing Baidu.

Apple is likely sticking to its in-house AI model or Google’s Gemini outside of China but opting for a locally developed solution within the mainland to ensure adherence to Chinese regulations.

The news comes on the heels of Apple CEO Tim Cook’s visit to China, where he reaffirmed Apple’s commitment to the market and met with key suppliers. Tim Cook praised Chinese suppliers for their strides towards carbon neutrality.

Cook announced plans to expand Apple‘s research center in Shanghai and establish a new applied research lab in Shenzhen. This focus on China comes as iPhone sales there have dipped 24% year-on-year (Counterpoint Research), likely due to competition primarily from Huawei.

The potential partnership aligns with Samsung’s strategy. Samsung uses Google’s Gemini AI globally but incorporates Baidu’s Ernie into its latest Galaxy S24 series in China for its “Circle to Search” feature.

However, both Apple and Baidu face growing regulatory hurdles. China has established detailed regulations governing domestic generative AI services, ensuring compliance with government-approved content.

The news of a potential Apple-Baidu partnership sent Baidu shares soaring by 6% in Hong Kong. Analysts see this as a potential win for Baidu, not just for branding its Ernie Bot, but for accelerating its AI monetization efforts and gaining an edge over Chinese competitors.

Apple has also officially announced its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024 dates, which will take place virtually from June 10th to 14th. The company is expected to announce the iOS 18 with generative AI features. There’s also speculation that Apple may unveil an AI App Store at WWDC 2024, potentially representing a shift in its AI strategy by offering a platform for various AI apps from different developers, including its own upgraded Siri and offerings from competitors like Google and Baidu.

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Baidu AI Cloud is trying its best to make its mark in the AI industry with a significant upgrade to its Qianfan platform. This update is designed to empower businesses of all sizes to leverage the power of advanced AI technology, making it easier and more affordable than ever before.

Five new ERNIE Models have been launched, with smaller footprints than LLMs

The centerpiece of the upgrade is the introduction of five new ERNIE models. Unlike traditional large language models (LLMs) that require massive amounts of computing power, these innovative models are designed with smaller footprints. This translates to a significant cost advantage for businesses, allowing them to incorporate AI into their operations without hefty infrastructure investments. Furthermore, the new ERNIE models boast impressive versatility, performing well across a wide range of applications, ensuring businesses can find the perfect fit for their specific needs.

The Qianfan ModelBuilder platform now offers a diverse lineup of ERNIE models:

ERNIE Speed: A master of context comprehension, ERNIE Speed can churn out highly accurate and coherent content. This model tackles complex scenarios with ease, analyzing context windows of up to 128,000 tokens. In specific domains, ERNIE Speed can even rival the performance of top-of-the-line ERNIE models.
ERNIE Lite: This upgraded version of ERNIE Bot Turbo brings a 20% boost in performance for tasks like sentiment analysis, multi-tasking learning, and natural reasoning. The real game-changer? A staggering 53% reduction in inference costs. This makes ERNIE Lite ideal for deployment on even low-powered AI accelerator cards.
ERNIE Tiny: Tiny but mighty, this is the most affordable and lightweight model of the bunch. ERNIE Tiny shines in applications where low latency and cost-effectiveness are paramount, excelling in areas like retrieval, recommendation, and intent recognition. In tests focused on conversational recommendations, ERNIE Tiny displayed exceptional ability to generate search engine keywords, boosting dialogue interactions by 3.5% compared to ERNIE 3.5, all while slashing costs by 32%.

But Baidu AI Cloud’s offerings extend beyond general-purpose models. They’ve also introduced two specialty models:

ERNIE Character: This model injects life into roleplaying scenarios, allowing businesses to create engaging non-playable characters (NPCs) for video games or develop intelligent chatbots for customer service.
ERNIE Functions: Designed for businesses that need to integrate external tools or internal functionalities, ERNIE Functions streamlines the process. Businesses can bypass the fine-tuning stage and directly leverage these pre-trained models to develop their own intelligent assistants.

Baidu AI Cloud has also improved the Qianfan AppBuilder toolkit. This includes 55 new tools designed to make developing AI-native applications a breeze. The toolkit now has a comprehensive suite of features, with everything from core AI capabilities and Baidu’s proprietary technologies to cutting-edge functionalities like Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) and Generative Business Intelligence (GBI).

The Qianfan platform has already empowered 80,000 businesses. With daily usage surging by an impressive 97% quarter-over-quarter since December 2023, Qianfan is solidifying its position as a true powerhouse for AI model development.

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On February 27th, Baidu, a leading Chinese technology company, announced a groundbreaking achievement in the field of autonomous driving. Baidu’s autonomous ride-hailing service, Apollo Go, has become the first in China to offer fully driverless rides across the Yangtze River. This monumental feat not only highlights Baidu’s capabilities in autonomous technology but also signifies a significant expansion of its operational reach.

The service, now operational in the city of Wuhan, boasts an impressive fleet that effortlessly navigates the complex landscape presented by the 11 bridges connecting the north and south banks of the Yangtze River. The Yangsigang Yangtze River Bridge and Wuhan Baishazhou Bridge serve as demonstrations of Apollo Go’s technological excellence, seamlessly connecting Wuhan’s northern and southern areas and improving accessibility for its 14 million inhabitants.

This milestone comes on the heels of Baidu’s robust financial performance, as revealed in its latest quarterly report. In the fourth quarter, approximately 45% of Apollo Go’s orders in Wuhan were fulfilled by fully autonomous vehicles, a figure that surpassed the 50% mark in January. Moreover, Apollo Go provided 839,000 rides in the last quarter alone, marking a substantial 49% increase year-over-year, with total rides exceeding 5 million by early January.

Looking ahead to 2024, Baidu maintains its strategic focus on achieving operational breakeven for Apollo Go, with plans to replicate its successful operations in Wuhan across other regions.

Baidu’s journey in autonomous driving began in 2013, and over the past decade, the company has dedicated significant resources to research and development, prioritizing technological innovation for long-term success. To date, Baidu Apollo’s advanced autonomous driving systems have completed over 90 million kilometers of testing, positioning the company as a global leader in high-level autonomous driving patents, boasting an impressive portfolio of over 5000 patents.

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Baidu, China’s leading tech giant, has struck a significant partnership with Lenovo, to embed its cutting-edge generative AI technology, particularly the Ernie large language model (LLM), into Lenovo smartphones. This collaboration follows similar agreements Baidu has forged with other smartphone manufacturers such as Samsung and Honor, marking a strategic move to expand its presence in the mobile market.

Lenovo, known for its diverse portfolio that includes personal computers and tablets, will now integrate Baidu’s Ernie model into its branded smartphones, a step aimed at capitalizing on the growing trend of AI-powered features in mobile devices. This trend gained traction following the success of ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, in late 2022.

While Google’s Pixel phones currently lead the market in terms of AI capabilities, backed by robust cloud-based AI services, Apple is reportedly working on incorporating generative AI models into its iPhones. The collaboration between Baidu and Lenovo signals a concerted effort to compete in this space and offer consumers innovative AI-driven features such as chatbots and real-time translation directly on their smartphones.

According to projections by research firm Canalys, approximately 5% of smartphones shipped globally in 2024, translating to around 60 million devices, will boast AI capabilities. This underscores the growing demand for AI-integrated smartphones and the potential for such features to become essential for consumers in the long run.

In China, where AI services from U.S. firms are not readily available, the market is dominated by homegrown companies like Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent, offering over 200 AI models. Baidu CEO Robin Li has emphasized the importance of practical AI applications and has leveraged collaborations with smartphone manufacturers to enhance Baidu’s LLM and compete effectively with U.S. rivals.

Apart from Lenovo, other top Chinese phone brands including Vivo, Xiaomi, and Huawei are also investing in developing their on-device AI models, although specific details have not been disclosed publicly.

Analysts view the integration of Baidu’s LLM into smartphones as a strategic move, positioning AI-powered features as potential “must-have” functionalities in the future, despite existing limitations. These collaborations not only benefit Baidu but also provide access to vast amounts of data, which could further enhance the capabilities of Baidu’s AI models and strengthen its competitive position in the global smartphone market.

The partnership between Baidu and Lenovo underscores the increasing importance of AI in smartphones and reflects a broader trend within the industry towards integrating advanced AI technologies to enhance user experiences and drive innovation.

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Samsung Electronics China has teamed up with Baidu AI Cloud to make the AI features in Samsung’s latest top-end phone, the Galaxy S24 Series, better. They’re using Baidu’s advanced ERNIE model to add new tools and functions to Samsung’s phone AI.

This partnership makes the Galaxy S24 Series smarter with new abilities like making long texts short and clear, setting up text in a neat way, and translating calls as they happen. The updated Samsung Note Assistant, powered by ERNIE, now offers content translation and summarization into organized formats, which can quickly change content into shorter, easy-to-understand formats with just a button press.

The Galaxy S24 Series phones can now turn spoken words into written text right away, tell who’s speaking, and translate between different languages. This is especially helpful for people working in offices and those who need to talk in different languages.

A new feature in the S24 Series called “Circle to Search,” lets users search for things in texts, images, audio, or videos just by using simple gestures. This connects well with Baidu Search to give fast and accurate search results.

Chen Yifan, a top executive at Baidu, said that the ERNIE Bot will be used in more ways in the future. It’s really good at working with different kinds of data like text, pictures, sound, and video and can match what different users need. Baidu’s ERNIE 4.0, released last year, has made big improvements in AI and already has over 100 million users.

Baidu AI Cloud is also making it easier to develop AI apps with tools like ModelBuilder and AppBuilder, which help developers make customized AI models more easily.

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Baidu, the Chinese multinational tech company, experienced a noteworthy rebound in its stocks, climbing by 3.3% after facing a recent downturn. The market response came after rumors suggesting a potential link between Baidu’s chatbot ERNIE and military research, caused a significant drop in the company’s market value.

In response to the speculations, Baidu has swiftly issued an official statement vehemently denying any connections to military endeavors. The company clarified that its ERNIE Bot is publicly accessible and grounded in an academic paper from a Chinese university. Baidu further emphasized that it had no collaboration with the authors or the affiliated institutions mentioned in the academic paper, distancing itself from any military associations.

Pekingnology, renowned for its in-depth analysis, debunked the South China Morning Post (SCMP) claims, underscoring that the research in question involved only three prompts and three answers. Pekingnology characterized the research as a preliminary idea, not indicative of military AI, but rather exploring the theoretical use of language models.

Market analysts chimed in on the situation, with Macquarie’s research report suggesting that the market reaction to Baidu’s temporary stock decline was “overdone.” UBS also supported this viewpoint, asserting that the market likely overreacted to the SCMP news regarding language models (LLMs). UBS recommended a “Buy” rating for Baidu, providing a 12-month price target of US $175.

The positive investor response indicates a rebound in confidence following Baidu’s strong denial and clarifications. As the market reevaluates the situation, these developments underscore the delicate balance between speculative reports, company responses, and the broader financial landscape in the tech industry.

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Chinese search engine powerhouse Baidu has announced its decision to donate its quantum computing research facility to the Beijing Academy of Quantum Information Sciences (BAQIS). This donation follows the growing trend of tech giants contributing to state-backed initiatives, particularly in the rapidly evolving field of quantum computing.

The Baidu Institute of Quantum Computing was established in 2018

Baidu’s journey in this domain began in early 2018 with the establishment of the Baidu Institute for Quantum Computing. Their mission was ambitious: to position themselves as a leading global player in quantum computing research, focusing on areas such as quantum AI, algorithms, and architecture. This vision took a collaborative turn in March last year when Baidu and BAQIS formed China’s first quantum computing intellectual property (IP) alliance, aiming to streamline IP cross-licensing and foster innovation in the industry.

Quantum computing stands at the forefront of scientific advancement, leveraging fundamental physics to tackle problems beyond the reach of traditional computers. Its ability to perform multiple calculations simultaneously offers unprecedented speed in solving complex statistical problems, though it’s not intended to replace conventional computing.

The donation of Baidu’s facility to BAQIS marks a significant moment in the tech world. It’s not just a gesture of corporate generosity but a strategic alignment with national priorities. China, alongside the US, is fiercely competing in the quantum computing race, an area only recently recognized as a national priority by Beijing. Such partnerships could accelerate breakthroughs in quantum computing, eventually benefiting sectors beyond technology, including healthcare and agriculture.

While the path to large-scale commercialization of quantum computing remains elusive in the long run, the rapid spread of generative AI technologies like OpenAI’s ChatGPT demonstrates the potential of cutting-edge tech to reshape our world. Baidu’s move could be a stepping stone towards more such collaborative efforts, only time will tell if it is lucrative or not.

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Baidu, a well-known tech giant, recently made headlines with a significant shift in its business strategy. In a surprising move, Moon SPV Limited, affiliated with Baidu, has pulled out of a major deal involving JOYY Inc. This decision, announced on January 1, 2024, marks the termination of a share purchase agreement originally set in November 2020.

This move is a strategic expansion for the Chinese e-commerce giant

This agreement was a big deal in the tech world. Baidu’s Hong Kong branch was set to acquire JOYY’s video-based entertainment live streaming business in China. This move was seen as a strategic expansion for Baidu into the thriving world of live streaming, a sector that has seen enormous growth in China.

However, the deal faced challenges right from the start. It was contingent on several conditions, including obtaining necessary approvals from government authorities. As the December 31, 2023 deadline approached, it became clear that these conditions hadn’t been fully met. This led to the agreement’s termination.

The fallout from this decision raises several questions. Why couldn’t Baidu and JOYY meet the deal’s conditions? What regulatory hurdles stood in their way? This situation highlights the complexities and uncertainties tech companies face in today’s rapidly changing digital landscape, especially in markets like China where regulatory environments are evolving.

The termination of this agreement might seem like a setback for Baidu, but it could also be an opportunity for the company to reassess and realign its strategies. In the tech world, flexibility and adaptability are key. Baidu’s ability to pivot and explore new avenues could be crucial for its future growth.

As for JOYY, the termination opens up new possibilities. Will it seek another buyer or take a different route altogether? Only time will tell. What’s certain is that in the dynamic world of technology, change is the only constant, and both Baidu and JOYY will continue to evolve and adapt in this ever-changing landscape.

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Baidu, a Chinese leader in AI technology, has achieved a significant breakthrough with its ERNIE Bot, a state-of-the-art generative AI tool. This bot, which is a product of the ERNIE Foundation Model, has now reached over 100 million users. What’s more impressive is the ERNIE Foundation Model 4.0, which has seen a 32% boost in performance in just two months.

Baidu claims that the bot has produced 3.7 billion words in workplaces

Since its debut in late August 2023, ERNIE Bot has rapidly become a go-to solution for a wide range of tasks. Its versatility is evident in its usage statistics: it has produced 3.7 billion words in workplace settings, aided over 2 million professional users, penned 300 million lines of code, and processed 400 million words in contracts. It’s not just about work, though. ERNIE Bot has also created 5 million travel plans and helped write 10.83 million supportive messages, earning 20 million likes from users.

These numbers are more than just statistics. They reflect a growing reliance on AI tools in everyday life and work. From drafting codes to planning trips, ERNIE Bot is reshaping how we approach tasks that were once time-consuming and complex. It’s a testament to the evolving relationship between humans and technology, where AI is no longer just an assistant but a collaborator.

Baidu’s commitment to advancing AI doesn’t stop with ERNIE Bot. The Wave Summit highlighted the company’s PaddlePaddle platform, which has become a critical resource for developers and enterprises. With over 10.7 million developers and 235,000 enterprises using it to create 860,000 models, PaddlePaddle is at the forefront of AI innovation.

The rise in ERNIE Bot’s popularity, combined with the continuous improvements in the ERNIE Foundation Model, signals a significant shift in AI’s role in our lives. As these tools become more integrated into various sectors, we can expect to see more groundbreaking changes, simplifying tasks and opening new possibilities for innovation and efficiency.

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The Jiyue 07 has been officially unveiled in China. The new electric liftback is from Geely and Baidu and is the winner of the Red Dot Award 2023. The new electric sedan will be available in China in 2024.

Features

The Jiyue 07 (previously assumed to be named Jiyue 02) is based on Geely’s SEA architecture and is equipped with self-driving capabilities from Baidu. Jiyue is a joint venture company of Baidu and Geely, with Baidu having a 55% stake in the brand at the onset. It was originally formed as Jidu in 2021 but failed to get mass production permission, leading to some restructuring. Its name was changed thereafter to Jiyue and Geely’s holding increased to 65%. Geely handles the manufacturing aspect while Baidu accounts for the software, ADAS, and connectivity.

The Jiyue 07 is the second Jiyue model after the release of the Jiyue 01 SUV. The Jiyue 07 is based on the Jidu Robo-02 concept and is a mid-size liftback car with sleek styling, a low beltline, and wide wheel arches. The Jiyue 07 omits door handles but has buttons on B and C-pillars. It has powered doors while its front end has Y-shaped headlights as with its predecessor. A large panoramic roof is featured on the Jiyue 07 while an active spoiler and a single taillight unit are also present from the side.

The Jiyue 07 electric liftback has five-spoke rims with aerodynamic covers. The model received two design awards namely the 2023 Red Dot Design Award and the iF Design Award 2023. The Red Dot Design Award for 2023 was given to 16 cars including Peugeot 408, Genesis G90, and Deepal SL03, as well as Jiyue 07. The entry-level version of the EV has a single e-motor with a 200kW output and a 71.4kWh LFP battery. The 4WD version has a 400kW motor and 100kWh NMC battery pack.

The self-driving system of the Jiyue 07 relies on cameras and radars but lacks hip LiDAR sensors. The Jiyue 07 pricing and full release details are lacking at this time. The EV is however expected to arrive in the Chinese market by mid-2024. 

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As news of Huawei reportedly dropping Android app support on its HarmonyOS devices starting next year has spread to the general public in China, job demand for software developers who can develop apps that can run natively on HarmonyOS has surged in the country.

First reported by ITHome, the Chinese tech publication noticed an uptick in job listings recruiting for app developers who are skilled in developing mobile applications that have native support for HarmonyOS devices such as the Huawei Mate 60 Pro.

Most recently, this week 3 well-renowned tech companies, Baidu, WPS and Flight Manager, have posted job vacancies that require applicants to have software development experience in HarmonyOS-related mobile applications.

Most notably, Chinese search engine giant, Baidu, has launched a recruitment listing with the job position “HarmonyOS App R&D Engineer” in its Baidu Search Engine Product R&D Department. The role will be mainly responsible for the research and development of a Baidu app that will be native to HarmonyOS. Priority will be given to job applicants who have 1 year or more of work experience and familiarity with HarmonyOS application development languages ​​​​such as ArkTS or Java / Development languages ​​and technologies such as Android. 

Besides Baidu, Kingsoft WPS is also hiring new senior product managers for its WPS Office service which requires “proficiency in HarmonyOS system development tools”. This is because the new senior product manager job roles are delegated with the responsibility of implementing and improving native HarmonyOS support into its existing WPS Office suite.

As of release time, Chinese companies which has native support of Huawei’s HarmonyOS in their software services include Sina News, Little Red Book (also known as Xiaohongshu), and Weibo.

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In a robust third-quarter performance, Baidu, the Chinese tech giant, reported a 6% increase in revenue to 34.45 billion yuan, surpassing analysts’ expectations. The company’s adjusted net income also demonstrated a healthy 23% rise to 7.27 billion yuan, propelling U.S.-listed shares up by 1.8% in morning trading.

Despite these gains, Baidu faces challenges in the AI chip landscape due to U.S. export curbs, with CEO Robin Li Yanhong acknowledging potential impacts. However, he reassured stakeholders, stating that Baidu’s extensive stockpile of AI chips could sustain the upgrading of its Ernie large language model for the next two years. To mitigate future risks, the company is actively exploring alternative sources, with recent reports suggesting a potential deal with Huawei for domestically-made AI chips.

The U.S. sanctions on AI chip exports to China, particularly from companies like Nvidia, pose a broader concern for the pace of AI development in the country. Baidu anticipates a potential consolidation of Chinese AI companies, particularly around leading large language models (LLMs), as competitors Alibaba and Tencent express their own anxieties regarding the impact of U.S. curbs on their cloud computing businesses.

In the face of a 2% year-on-year decline in Q3 AI cloud revenue, attributed to weak demand in smart transportation projects, Baidu remains optimistic about positive growth in Q4. The company attributes this optimism to the increasing demand for generative AI services.

The Ernie Bot ecosystem, a significant focus for Baidu, has gained remarkable traction since its March launch. Accumulating 70 million users within three months and handling tens of millions of queries daily, Ernie Bot positions itself as a formidable player in the AI landscape. Its success is particularly noteworthy as Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent all release competitors to OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

While Baidu’s current revenue from generative AI is relatively modest, CEO Li is optimistic about the future. He forecasts that generative AI products will contribute significantly to ad revenue in the fourth quarter, emphasizing a strategic realignment of resources to invest further in AI growth opportunities and move away from lower-priority efforts.

In the broader market context, Baidu’s revenue growth aligns with China’s overall economic projections, expected to grow by 5.4% this year. This growth prompts increased spending on consumer advertising online, a boon for Baidu, which primarily derives revenue from advertising.

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Artificial intelligence (AI) has taken the world by storm. Baidu, a Chinese tech giant, is making strategic moves to sustain its AI development despite facing U.S. export restrictions on advanced AI chips. Baidu’s approach offers a unique perspective on how technology companies can navigate geopolitical challenges while advancing in the competitive AI landscape.

The company will boost focus on its own Large Language Model (LLM), Ernie

Baidu’s recent third-quarter earnings call revealed an interesting strategy. Despite the U.S. curbs on AI chip exports, Baidu CEO Robin Li Yanhong expressed confidence in the company’s ability to continue its AI projects, particularly its Ernie large language model (LLM). This resilience stems from a stockpile of advanced AI chips that Baidu has amassed, ensuring at least two years of uninterrupted AI development. This proactive approach highlights how foresight and strategic planning can play a crucial role in mitigating the impact of international trade restrictions.

Li’s comments also shed light on the broader implications of such export curbs. While Baidu has found a temporary solution, these restrictions could slow the pace of AI innovation in China. This situation could potentially lead to a consolidation of Chinese AI companies, centering around leading LLMs. Such a scenario underlines the interconnectedness of global tech industries and the far-reaching effects of geopolitical decisions.

Interestingly, Baidu’s situation also highlights the potential of homegrown solutions. While Li acknowledged that alternative chip sources might not match U.S. advancements, he emphasized Baidu’s strengths in unique AI architecture and algorithms. This suggests a potential shift towards self-reliance in AI technology, a move that could reshape the global AI landscape.

Moreover, Baidu’s focus on its Ernie Bot ecosystem, a direct competitor to OpenAI‘s ChatGPT, signals a significant shift from its traditional revenue streams. With 70 million users within three months of its launch, Ernie Bot’s success exemplifies Baidu’s potential to lead in the generative AI space.

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Baidu CEO Robin Li Yanhong has raised a significant point about the current trend in China‘s tech industry. According to Li, the excessive focus on creating large language models (LLMs) is not just a drain on resources but also a missed opportunity to advance practical AI applications. Why would a company that’s actively involved with AI be connected with something like this?

Li Yanhong believes that AI’s value lies in its Application

The crux of Li’s argument, as presented at the X-Lake Forum in Shenzhen, is that while China has seen a surge in AI model development, with 238 such models launched as of October 2023, there is a stark lack of AI-native applications. These are applications specifically designed to harness the unique capabilities of AI, much like how mobile-native apps revolutionized smartphone usage.

Li’s perspective is grounded in the belief that the real value of AI lies in its application, not just in the development of foundational models. He suggests a shift in focus towards creating a plethora of AI-native applications, akin to the era that saw the rise of apps like WeChat, Douyin, and Uber, which were tailored for mobile usage.

Interestingly, Li’s remarks also touch upon a broader industry issue: the balance between foundational research and application development. While foundational models are essential for advancing AI technology, their true potential is unlocked only when applied in practical, everyday scenarios.

Moreover, Li criticizes the trend of hoarding advanced semiconductors and building intelligent computing centers, which he views as an inefficient approach to AI development. He emphasizes that without the right scale and training datasets, these efforts are unlikely to yield models with emergent abilities – the ability to perform complex tasks with minimal input.

As mentioned before, Baidu itself is engaged in developing AI applications, as seen with its code-writing assistant Comate. However, Li believes that the best AI-native applications, both in China and globally, are yet to come.

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China’s tech giants are eagerly developing consumer AI services, with Alibaba and Baidu at the forefront. This initiative is particularly noteworthy given that Western AI tools like ChatGPT and Bard are not accessible in China.

Multiple AI services are being launched across China

Alibaba’s marketplace Taobao introduced Duxiaoxiao, a digital assistant powered by Baidu’s AI, Ernie Bot. It’s designed to adapt to shopper preferences, exemplifying the trend towards personalized digital services. The service’s popularity is evident, with a significant following and sales within days of its launch.

Meanwhile, Meituan is carving out its niche with Wow, an AI service that aims to create a virtual community of AI friends for the younger generation. This is still in its infancy but signals a shift towards interactive, youth-oriented AI experiences.

The surge in AI development by Chinese companies comes as they seek to expand beyond traditional sectors into more innovative territories. Yet, these services currently represent a small slice of the revenue pie, which is dominated by core businesses. For instance, Baidu offers access to its AI models at competitive prices, and even launched a subscription-based model for its advanced Ernie Bot 4.0, reflecting the global trend of subscription-based AI services.

These advancements, however, don’t come without challenges. China’s stringent AI regulations could curb the growth and innovation of these services. With only a select few AI chatbots approved by Beijing and strict rules in place, the future landscape of China’s AI endeavors remains uncertain, potentially stifling the country’s ability to compete globally in the personal AI product market. Despite these hurdles, the push for AI innovation within China is a clear indicator of the country’s commitment to playing a significant role in the global tech scene.

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Baidu, the country’s web search giant, has chosen to buy a batch of homegrown AI chips from Huawei Technologies. Amidst the political pressures and trade constraints from the US, this deal shows a pivot towards local tech solutions, a trend that could reshape the tech landscape.

An order of 1600 chips has been placed, estimated at around $61 million

With an order of 1,600 of Huawei’s Ascend 910B AI chips, Baidu is preparing for a future less reliant on foreign technology, specifically Nvidia’s AI chips, which have been the industry’s gold standard. The deal, estimated at around 450 million yuan ($61.83 million), is modest compared to the massive orders usually placed with Nvidia, but it’s the significance that counts here – it’s a step towards technological self-sufficiency for China.

Previously, Baidu wasn’t known to use Huawei’s AI chips, making this a noteworthy partnership. Although Huawei’s chips aren’t yet on par with Nvidia’s in performance, they represent the most advanced AI chips China has to offer. This shift isn’t just about Baidu’s preference; it’s a response to stringent US rules that have barred Nvidia from selling some of its top AI chips to Chinese companies.

The collaboration between Baidu and Huawei isn’t new. They have been working together since 2020, making Baidu’s AI platforms run smoothly on Huawei’s hardware. Even though Baidu has its own line of Kunlun AI chips, the reliance on Nvidia’s technology has been significant until the US restrictions prompted a change in strategy.

While analysts see US restrictions as a door opening for Huawei to claim more of the domestic market, the question remains: Can China accelerate its chipmaking prowess to not just compete but lead in the tech arena? This deal might just be a glimpse into a future where China’s tech independence is not just an aspiration but a reality.

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Xiaodu Technology, a subsidiary of Baidu, specializes in AI-powered smart devices, including smart speakers and displays, enhancing user experiences through Baidu’s DuerOS. They integrate advanced AI technologies, contribute to Baidu’s smart home ecosystem, and have achieved leadership in the Chinese market with substantial funding and valuation growth.

Earlier today, Xiaodu introduced its latest Tiantian Casa ARIA smart speaker in China which is now available for pre-order on JD.com.

The speaker is initially priced at 3199 yuan ($437) and it features a transparent casing with white borders and 67 smart ambient lights. These lights can synchronize with different light effects, shadows, and color schemes, making it ideal for ambient lighting. The speaker also includes a rotary button on the bottom right that serves as a time display.

Xiaodu Tiantian Casa ARIA Smart Speaker Key Features:

The smart speaker uses LHDC high-resolution audio encoding and decoding technology, earning it dual gold certifications in HiRes and HiRes Wireless quality for exceptional audio performance.

Inside its transparent casing, there’s a custom 15W full-range speaker designed to resonate with the acoustic structure. The speakers have a frequency range of 60Hz to 20KHz and a 3300CC sound cavity. It also integrates with major music platforms like QQ Music, Kugou Music, Kuwo Music, and NetEase Cloud Music. Connectivity is seamless with Bluetooth 5.2+LHDC high-speed transmission, and it includes a 3.5mm audio input for traditional audio connections.

The speaker offers control options with a power button, rotary knob, and two additional buttons. The speaker weighs 3.21 kg and measures 287mm x 215mm x 104mm.

The speaker is powered by Baidu’s DuerOS 7.0 system, enabling intelligent voice interactions for tasks like setting alarms, checking the weather, or answering general knowledge questions.

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In a bold move signaling China’s stride in artificial intelligence (AI), Baidu Inc.’s CEO, Robin Li, announced the latest version of their AI chatbot, Ernie Bot 4.0, at the Baidu World 2023 conference in Beijing. Li showcased Ernie’s remarkable ability to provide nuanced answers and solve intricate puzzles in real time. The tech mogul declared that Ernie Bot 4.0 has reached a level of sophistication comparable to OpenAI’s renowned GPT-4, marking a significant achievement in the race for AI supremacy.

Baidu, often dubbed China’s Google equivalent, has been investing aggressively in AI technology after witnessing the disruptive potential demonstrated by ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI. Despite challenges posed by US sanctions on advanced chips and Beijing’s stringent censorship, Baidu has managed to forge ahead.

Ernie Bot, which previously surpassed 45 million users, was put through a series of rigorous tests during the conference. Li tested its capabilities by asking complex questions about buying property, solving mathematical problems, and even requesting the chatbot to compose a novel set in the world of ancient martial arts. These demonstrations highlighted Ernie Bot’s enhanced understanding, prompting, reasoning, and memorization abilities.

Baidu’s journey in the AI landscape began earlier this year when Ernie Bot 3.5 outperformed OpenAI’s GPT-3.5 in comprehension. Building on this success, Ernie Bot 4.0 has now achieved parity with OpenAI’s GPT-4, making it a formidable contender in the global AI arena.

However, the competition remains fierce. While Ernie Bot has made significant strides, it is essential to note that ChatGPT boasts an estimated 180 million users, highlighting the dominance of OpenAI’s technology. Moreover, the absence of official availability of foreign products like ChatGPT in mainland China or Hong Kong has spurred Chinese tech giants such as Baidu and Alibaba Group Holding to innovate and create their own AI solutions tailored to local sensitivities.

Chinese authorities have issued new guidelines and regulations to ensure AI-generated content aligns with official narratives. Baidu’s Ernie Bot has adapted to these regulations by avoiding sensitive topics and redirecting conversations when necessary.

As Baidu continues to integrate Ernie Bot into flagship products such as search, maps, file-sharing, work collaboration, and data analytics, the tech giant remains at the forefront of China’s AI revolution. 

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Hot on the heels of launching its AI chatbot Ernie, China’s Baidu has now unveiled another large language model (LLM) with the aim of improving the digitization and intelligence of the healthcare industry. The new industry-grade AI model is called Lingyi (machine translation gives “Spiritual Doctor”) and it is currently available for trial use in both upstream and downstream healthcare sectors.

The LLM can generate structured medical records from free-text input and accurately analyze and generate patient complaints, medical histories, and more based on doctor-patient conversations. It can do simultaneous parsing of multiple Chinese and English medical literature articles, enabling intelligent question-answering based on the content of the literature.

When it comes to assisting in diagnosis and treatment, the Lingyi Large Model offers real-time understanding of a patient’s condition through multi-turn dialogues. It assists doctors in diagnosing diseases, and recommending treatment plans. It also serves as a 24-hour “healthcare manager” for patients and provides various capabilities to pharmaceutical companies, including professional training and medical information support, among others.

Currently, the Lingyi Large Model is available is offered in Lite, flagship, and custom versions, each tailored to different needs and application scenarios. Baidu will let partners access the large model through API integration or embed it as plugins into existing product systems.

ITHome reports Baidu has already partnered with companies like Gushengtang and Ling Jiashe and is selectively open to over 200 medical institutions, including public hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, internet hospital platforms, and chain pharmacies.

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The artificial intelligence craze continues to sweep the internet. Nowadays, almost every company is trying to integrate AI technology into its services in one way or another. However, some are taking it a step further by developing their own AI language models. One of these companies is Baidu. At the beginning of this year, we reported that the company was developing a chatbot to rival OpenAI’s ChatGPT. We then followed up on this development and shared the details with you, such as its name, Ernie Bot. Now, the chatbot is available to users and has seen a record 1 million users in less than 24 hours since it was launched. Here are the details…

Ernie Bot Challenges ChatGPT as China’s Leading AI Chatbot

Ernie Bot Baidu’s AI chat service, has seen a record 1 million users in less than 24 hours since it was made publicly available at midnight Thursday. Fueled by excitement over what is seen by many as China’s main challenger to ChatGPT, users across the country have been able to access the product for the first time after it was approved for general use by the authorities. The ChatGPT-like tool responded to more than 33.4 million user queries within the first day, according to data revealed by the company.

Ernie Bot is powered by Baidu’s own large language model, which has been trained on a massive dataset of text and code. This allows the bot to generate human-like text responses to a wide range of prompts and questions. For example, users can ask ERNIE Bot to write poems, translate languages, or even answer their questions about the world.

It remains to be seen whether Ernie Bot can dethrone ChatGPT as the leading AI chatbot in China. However, the bot’s early success suggests that it is a serious contender. With its strong capabilities and wide range of applications, Ernie Bot has the potential to become a major player in the Chinese AI market.

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Artificial intelligence technologies are taking the internet by storm. Almost every day, a company announces plans to create their own AI model or to integrate an existing chatbot like ChatGPT into their services. For now, “western brands” like OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft are leading the race, but Chinese companies are not far behind. Recent news shows that Chinese tech giants have ordered $5 billion worth of generative AI chips from Nvidia. Here are the details…

Chinese Tech Giants Invest $5 Billion in Nvidia AI Chips

No matter which side you’re on, one thing is clear: China is home to some of the world’s biggest tech companies. We see these brands in many parts of our lives. For example, even in my house, I have products like the Xiaomi robot vacuum and Huawei modem. Of course, some of these brands are also involved in trending areas like artificial intelligence.

China’s tech giants, including Baidu, ByteDance, Tencent, and Alibaba, have initiated orders with Nvidia for $5 billion worth of chips to construct generative artificial intelligence systems. Some of you might wonder what Nvidia has to do with this. Even though many of us know Nvidia for its RTX series graphics cards, the company is very experienced in artificial intelligence.

They make technologies like the A800 processor that can handle AI tasks. You can see examples of this in the technology used in the GeForce RTX series cards. For example, if you download Nvidia Studio on your computer, you can get AI features like changing the background and noise cancellation.

The Chinese tech companies mentioned above have placed an order with Nvidia worth about $1 billion. They will produce and deliver about 100,000 units of Nvidia’s A800 processor by the end of the year. Also, these companies bought graphics processing units worth $4 billion, and they plan to ship these units in 2024.

Nvidia’s A800 processors are a line of professional graphics cards that were launched in November 2022. They are based on the GA100 graphics processor and are designed for high-performance computing and artificial intelligence applications. The A800 processors offer a number of features that make them well-suited for these demanding workloads.

The A800 processors have 6912 CUDA cores, which is more than any other professional graphics card on the market. This allows them to handle complex computational tasks with ease. This processors also have 80GB of HBM2e memory, which is more than enough for even the most demanding AI applications. Moreover, the A800 have a 400GB/s interconnect, which allows them to communicate with other GPUs and CPUs quickly and efficiently.

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Baidu, China’s leading search engine provider, has announced that its newest AI model, Ernie 3.5, has surpassed OpenAI’s ChatGPT in various key metrics. In addition, Baidu claims that Ernie 3.5 has outperformed GPT-4 in several Chinese language capabilities. These assertions were made based on comprehensive ability scores derived from tests conducted by China Science Daily, using datasets like AGIEval and C-Eval, commonly used benchmarks for evaluating AI model performance.

Advancements in Chinese Language Capabilities with Ernie 3.5

The emergence of ChatGPT, supported by Microsoft, has sparked a wave of excitement around AI technology globally, including in China. This has prompted several domestic companies, such as Baidu, Alibaba Group, and Tencent Holdings, to develop their own AI models to compete in this space. Huawei is set to unveil its highly anticipated Pangu AI model upgrade on July 7, further fueling the competitive landscape and innovation in the industry.

Baidu introduced its language AI Ernie Bot earlier this year, making it the first major Chinese tech company to offer an AI product as a rival to ChatGPT. Ernie Bot, built on Baidu’s previous Ernie 3.0 AI model, has been undergoing invite-only testing for the past three months.

Baidu highlights that its new Ernie 3.5 model boasts improved training and inference efficiency, setting the stage for faster and more cost-effective iterations in the future. Baidu also mentions that Ernie 3.5 supports external “plugins,” which are additional applications enabling the AI to handle specific scenarios like text summarization and generating precise answers. Notably, ChatGPT introduced plugin support earlier this year as well.

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Baidu, Inc. the Chinese technology conglomerate renowned for its expertise in Internet-based offerings, products, and artificial intelligence (AI), has received official licensing to commence commercial operations of its fully autonomous ride-hailing service in Shenzhen. This groundbreaking development allows Baidu’s robotaxis to offer ride-hailing services without the presence of a safety operator inside the vehicle. Shenzhen now joins the ranks of Wuhan, Chongqing, and Beijing as the fourth Chinese city to experience the convenience and innovation of this autonomous service.

Following the acquisition of the latest license, Baidu’s Apollo Go autonomous vehicles will be granted permission to operate within a sizable 188 sq. km expanse in Shenzhen. Operating hours extend from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., accommodating the commuting needs of both morning and evening travelers. To access this convenient service, users can utilize various platforms such as the Apollo Go app or mini-program, in addition to Baidu Maps, Baidu App, and similar interfaces. The expansion of the commercial fully driverless ride-hailing service opens doors to a wider audience of paying users.

Having obtained China’s inaugural permit for offering commercial fully driverless robotaxi services on public roads in August 2022, Baidu’s Apollo Go service successfully launched in Chongqing and Wuhan, two bustling megacities in China. The company’s ambition for 2023 includes deploying an additional 200 fully driverless robotaxis and establishing the world’s largest fully driverless ride-hailing zone. These efforts are set to contribute to the rapid and high-quality advancement of China’s autonomous driving industry.

The meteoric rise of Apollo Go continues as it rapidly expands its active user base and experiences an upsurge in user engagement. The year 2022 witnessed a near doubling of active users compared to the previous year, demonstrating the growing popularity of the service. Moreover, the percentage of users who took rides more than 4 days per month increased by an impressive 8.06% compared to the previous year.

Notably, the cumulative number of rides taken through Apollo Go surpassed the remarkable milestone of 2 million rides by the first quarter of 2023. This achievement showcases the unwavering trust and confidence that users have placed in the world’s largest autonomous ride-hailing service provider.

The recent approval of Apollo Go’s commercial fully driverless operations in Shenzhen signifies the city’s pioneering role in the intelligent connected vehicle industry.

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Microsoft Bing has achieved a significant milestone, overtaking Baidu to become the largest desktop search engine in China. Recent data from StatCounter reveals that in April 2023, Bing captured a historic high market share of 37.4%, surpassing Baidu and establishing a 10-percentage-point lead.

Bing’s Rise to the Top: Overtaking Baidu in China’s Desktop Search Market

Baidu’s market share has declined to 27.01%, resulting in Bing’s rise to the top position. Following Bing and Baidu, the rankings are occupied by Sogou (16.36%), Yandex (7.45%), Haosou (6.25%), and Google (5.2%) respectively.

The success of Bing can be attributed to its deep integration into various Microsoft products and services. Acting as the company’s fourth prominent product line, Bing is closely tied with Windows, Office, and Xbox.

Microsoft has been consistently enhancing Bing’s capabilities by integrating the latest technologies. On February 8th of this year, Bing adopted an upgraded version of its AI model, GPT-3.5, to enhance search results. Additionally, Microsoft confirmed on March 15th that Bing’s search engine now operates on GPT-4, the latest iteration of its AI model.

In a recent statement, Mustafa Suleyman, co-founder of DeepMind, a Google subsidiary specializing in artificial intelligence, warned of fundamental changes in the internet landscape. He predicted that traditional search methods would become obsolete within the next decade, giving way to a conversational and interactive search experience. Such a transformation is expected to have a profound impact on the future of the internet and those who rely on it for information and livelihood.

The rise of Bing in China exemplifies the dynamic nature of the search engine market and highlights the increasing competition among major players to innovate and provide enhanced search experiences for users.

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Giant Interactive Group and Baidu’s AI team have worked together to produce China’s first AI-developed mobile game character called “Space Shark.” The AI image is created using the same technology behind the search giant’s ChatGPT alternative ERNIE Bot. Baidu’s Wenxin large model team was responsible for the training, generation, and in-depth optimization of this AI image, while Giant’s team handled the overall planning and in-game development.

The AI image is being used in the online game Super Sus: Who is the Impostor, which was developed by Giant. Super Sus allows users to create their own rules and add user-generated content, such as new skins and imagery. The integration of AI technology in the game character development process enables the game to have more advanced features and capabilities that were not possible before.

The collaboration between Giant and Baidu is a clear indication of the increasing integration of AI technology into the gaming industry. By using AI technology to create game characters, gaming companies can save on labor costs and reduce manufacturing costs while also increasing efficiency. Moreover, AI technology can enhance the game experience for users and provide opportunities for new revenue streams.

With the success of “Space Shark,” we can expect to see more gaming companies embracing AI technology in the development of game characters and other aspects of game production. The partnership between Giant and Baidu is a step towards a more innovative and efficient gaming industry, with exciting possibilities for the future.

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Baidu launched Ernie Bot the AI chatbot which will compete with ChatGPT, yesterday at Baidu’s Beijing Headquarter. The launch event saw CEO Robin Li presenting slides of images and pre-recorded videos of the chatbot instead of a live demo. Even the recorded videos did not show any extraordinary features, which ultimately led to a fall in the company’s share price. 

The hour-long launch event gave a very small glimpse of the much-awaited Ernie Bot which was speculated to take on the world’s most famous AI app ChtaGPT. ChatGPT is taking the world by storm with its ability to converse like a human, compose music, write and debug computer programs, write stories, poetries, fairy tales, essays, and speeches, take tests, and more. However, the launch event of Ernie Bot showed very limited features like the bot carrying out mathematical calculations, speaking in Chinese dialects, and generating a video and image with text prompts. 

Also where ChatGPT was opened to the general public last November, Ernie Bot is still developing and Baidu has released the beta version to selected users only. The company said that it will open the chatbot for a small group of individual users with invitation codes. Corporate organizations who wish to use the chatbot’s service can embed the bot into their products via Baidu’s cloud platform. 

Baidu’s Share Price and Future Value

Last month when Baidu announced its plan to take on ChatGPT with the indigenous Ernie Bot the company shares soar within hours and gained almost 15%. However, the use of pre-recorded videos and lack of public launch disappointed the investors and send the company stocks crashing. Baidu’s Hong Kong shares fell as much as 10% during the event and closed at a 6.4% lower price. The company lost almost $3 billion in market value within an hour. 

During the presentation, CEO Li admitted that Ernie Bot was far from perfect and was launched not because it was ready but only because the market demanded it. Post-event, the company said that after the release of ChatGPT, only Baidu has made a benchmark product among the major tech companies in the world. Though the company did not comment on the sharp drop in stock price, it released an official statement saying that the traffic on Baidu’s cloud was soaring as more than 30,000 corporate users had applied to test the API of Ernie Bot’s business-facing edition. 

86Research analyst Charlie Chai said that though the event didn’t go well with investors, he still viewed Baidu as the best in China’s AI space. He further added that he would still advise investors to patiently hold on to Baidu shares as the company has great future prospects. 

Baidu has great plans for using Artificial Intelligence in almost all segments of its business. The company has spent years in research and Development and invested extensively in Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning Technology. The company’s game plan is to use Ernie Bot to revolutionize its search engine and advance its cloud services. It also plans to integrate the AI chatbot with its smart car technology and household appliances thereby creating a whole new eco-system controlled by Artificial Intelligence.

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Baidu has launched an AI chat app called WiseAI for Global users. A few days back, Baidu launched the Chinese Version of WiseAI called “Xiaokan Planet” in the country. WiseAI is an Artificial Intelligence chat community app. 

What is WiseAI?

WiseAI is an app that provides a safe space for users to chat with a virtual robot who can be their friend and confidant. Whenever users feel sad, tired, or depressed and just want to talk to someone in a safe space or vent their feelings, they can use the WiseAI chatbot to do so. 

WiseAI Chatbot is available 24 x 7 for users across the globe. According to the official statement made by the company, WiseAI chatbot uses advanced algorithms, cutting-edge artificial intelligence, and natural language processing technology that helps it to understand and analyze complex conversations and carry out meaningful discussions with its users. 

The app can be used to relieve stress, relax your mental state, uplift your mood, and improve your overall health through conversations. Unlike the generic chatbots that rely on pre-programmed responses, WiseAI uses advanced machine learning technology that helps it understand and respond to natural language commands with answers that feel intuitive and human, in real-time.

Baidu’s AI Ambitions

Baidu is the most used search engine in China. The Chinese multinational technology giant is known for its internet-related services and products and now is making Artificial Intelligence, a part of its core business. 

Recently Baidu Launched the Xiaokan Planet (Chinese version of WiseAI) and the company is all set to launch its ChatGPT rival the Ernie Bot on March 16. In its annual flagship developer conference ‘Baidu Create 2022’, the company gave information about its involvement in future technology trends, including artificial intelligence, autonomous driving, intelligent search, quantum computing, and AI scientific computing. 

Robin Li, Co-founder, Chairman, and CEO of Baidu said that deep learning algorithms have set the cornerstone for the fourth technological revolution. The company has introduced several AI-related technologies like XiRang MetaStack, the world’s first independent metaverse solution which allows brands to build their own metaverse space from scratch in as fast as 40 days, and  New Generation Computing Architecture Taihang DPU 2.0 and Heterogeneous Computing Platform Baige 2.0. Other interesting tech released by the company includes UniBEV (an integrated vehicle-road solution ),  Big Model ERNIE 3.0 Zeus, Big Model ERNIE-ViLG 2.0, and new video content generation and editing technology.

China’s shift to Artificial Intelligence

China wants to be the global technology leader, and many Chinese companies are already restructuring their goals and policies to shift their business to Artificial Intelligence and related services. Tech giants like Tencent, Alibaba, and ByteDance are all gearing up to launch their own versions of ChatGPT and other AI services. Companies like  Baidu, Alibaba, JD.com, and Kuaishou, already have put up job offers and adverts for Artificial Intelligence-related job postings and are offering a monthly salary of up to 100,000 yuan ($14,543) for these positions. 

The Chinese government is also supporting and encouraging homegrown companies to develop AI technology that will put the country on the global map. Beijing is supporting its leading firms, in building large artificial intelligence (AI) models that can challenge ChatGPT.

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Baidu has announced that it will launch its first electric vehicle using its new AI chatbot. The goal is to offer a conversational AI experience that facilitates natural communication between car owners and their vehicles, similar to the ChatGPT technology. This latest move by Baidu is part of its wider strategy to improve its core search engine business and drive the widespread adoption of AI for a range of uses. Here are the details…

First Baidu EV to Feature Advanced ChatGPT-Style Conversational AI Technology

The Baidu EV will be developed by Jidu Auto, the electric vehicle arm of the company. Chinese tech giant, will be the first company to adopt AI technology at this level. Xia Yiping, the CEO of Jidu Auto, made the announcement at a corporate event in Beijing on Tuesday. Xia confirmed that the company plans to deliver its first production model, the Robo-01 sports utility vehicle (SUV), in the third quarter of 2023 at a “very competitive” price.

The Robo-01 SUV was launched in October and can travel around 600 kilometers on a single charge. The vehicle’s pricing details have only been revealed for a special edition version, which will start from RMB 399,800 ($55,245). Xia expressed optimism about the company’s sales growth in light of Tesla’s significant price cuts, adding that the sudden move reflected the US automaker’s waning competitiveness in the Chinese market.

The ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, has sparked a craze in the internet. Dozens of tech companies, including Google, Alibaba, NetEase, and JD.com, to announce their own AI chatbots over the past month. Media outlets and traditional businesses are also lining up to incorporate the latest AI technology into their services.

Baidu’s move to incorporate AI technology into its EV model is a significant step in the company’s ambition to become a leading player in the global EV market. By providing a ChatGPT-like experience for vehicle owners, Baidu aims to differentiate its product and offer a unique selling point that could appeal to a broad range of customers. As EVs become increasingly popular, it will be interesting to see how Baidu’s AI technology will shape the user experience and how it will impact the wider automotive industry.

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Artificial intelligence technologies are becoming widespread. The journey, which began with digital assistants for end users, continues with chatbots. As you are aware, the internet has been impacted by OpenAI’s ChatGPT in recent months, and its success has influenced other companies, leading to the development of new chatbots. Lastly one of these companies Baidu, announces ChatGPT style project “Ernie Bot”. Here are the details…

Baidu Announces ChatGPT Style Project Called Ernie Bot

The Chinese tech giant Baidu may not be widely known in the West, but it is highly popular in Asia, where it holds the title of the top search engine. Lastly, the company has announced the completion of its internal testing for a new ChatGPT-style project called “Ernie Bot”. The project is set to be tested internally in March. However the pace of development by competitors Microsoft and Google may lead to an earlier opening.

Chatbots in China currently focus on social interaction. However ChatGPT performs better at more professional tasks, such as programming and essay writing. Baidu plans to incorporate chatbot-generated results when users make search requests. Baidu has been involved in the field of artificial intelligence for many years, and CEO Robin Li stated in September of last year that the development of AI was undergoing significant changes. This seems to have prompted the research and development of Ernie Bot.

Baidu currently has several ChatGPT related technologies, with a full stack layout in the four-tier architecture of AI. This includes chips, deep learning frameworks, large models, and search applications. Ernie Bot is positioned at the model layer. Baidu already has a large-scale pretrained model for natural language understanding and generation called Wenxin, with the ability for deep semantic understanding and generation across modes and languages.

Time will tell how Ernie Bot will perform compared to ChatGPT. Recent reports indicate that Baidu will launch the service in March. However, as we mentioned above, this date may change.

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology is an integral part of our lives today more than ever before. The journey, which began with digital assistants for end users, continues with chatbots. As you are aware, the internet has been impacted by OpenAI’s ChatGPT in recent months, and its success has influenced other companies, leading to the development of new chatbots. According to the latest reports, Baidu planning to launch an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot service. Here are the details…

Baidu to launch ChatGPT-style bot in March

The Chinese tech giant Baidu may not be widely known in the West, but it is highly popular in Asia, where it holds the title of the top search engine. Recent reports indicate that Baidu plans to launch an AI chatbot service similar to OpenAI‘s ChatGPT in March. The new chatbot will be available as a standalone app, and will also be integrated into the search engine.

Chatbots in China currently focus on social interaction whereas ChatGPT performs better at more professional tasks, such as programming and essay writing. Baidu plans to incorporate chatbot-generated results when users make search requests. So what is the reason for the increased interest?

In fact, two interrelated factors are driving the surge in interest. One is the high demand from users. Millions of people worldwide use ChatGPT, putting a strain on the company’s servers at times. The other is the potential brought by this high demand. For instance, OpenAI recently received a $10 billion investment from Microsoft, a deal that any company would want.

Baidu has been focused on expanding its revenue sources through to AI technology. This has included investments in cloud services, chips, and autonomous driving. Baidu’s goal is to diversify its income stream by leveraging AI technology. Recently, at a developer conference, the company introduced three AI-powered “creators” designed to replace screenwriters, illustrators, editors, and animators. These advancements showcase Baidu’s commitment to AI technology and its potential to revolutionize various industries.

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Baidu and Pony.ai are two Chinese companies that have been blazing the trail in their various segments over the years. The two companies have now reached another milestone in China with their acquisition of commercial driverless robotaxi permits. They are the first companies to be issued permits to provide driverless ride-hailing services on open roads in Beijing. Previous permits relate to testing the self-driving vehicles without a safety driver in the vehicle.

China has seen a raft of self-driving services in several cities across the country. This is however the first time that any company will be allowed to run a fully driverless service on public roads. The permit however requires a safety operator in the front of the autonomous vehicle, unlike what obtains in California. The new permits to internet giant Baidu and autonomous vehicle company Pony.ai seem to be a further step in the evolution of driverless car-hailing. Both companies will not be collecting payments for the service.

Baidu and Pony.ai are currently running commercial robotaxis with a safety driver in the Beijing High-Level Automated Driving Demonstration Area (BJHAD). This is an area of about 60 sq. km with up to 300,000 residents. The two companies have said that the new service will run within the BJHAD. Ten and four driverless vehicles will be deployed for the new service by Baidu and Pony.ai respectively. Baidu already has up to 100 vehicles in its Apollo Go fleet in the area. The time for the service is 10 am-4 pm for Baidu and 9 am-5 pm for Pony.ai. Users can use the respective apps to hail the service and hundreds of drop-off/pickup locations will be on the route.

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