Baidu, a big name in China's online search industry, officially introduced a new artificial intelligence (AI) inference model on March 16.
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| Baidu launches open-source AI to compete with DeepSeek. (Source: Reuters) |
Baidu announced the launch of its latest X1 inference model, claiming it has comparable performance to DeepSeek, but at a lower cost.
Baidu also announced a platform model called Ernie 4.5, announcing the decision to make the AI chatbot Ernie Bot free for individual users. Previously, users had to pay a subscription fee to access the company's latest AI models through Ernie Bot.
Baidu said Ernie 4.5 outperformed OpenAI's GPT-4.5 model in "multiple evaluation criteria," while Ernie X1 possessed "enhanced capabilities in understanding, planning, reflecting, and evolving."
Baidu is one of the first Chinese companies to launch a generative AI platform in 2023. Since DeepSeek announced its R1 model, it has been performing on par with competitors like US-based ChatGPT, but at a much lower development cost.
Since then, local companies and government agencies in China have been quick to incorporate DeepSeek’s open-source model into their work, while other tech companies are scrambling to catch up. Baidu itself has also integrated DeepSeek’s R1 inference model into its search engine.
Baidu also announced plans to follow in DeepSeek's footsteps by open-sourcing its Ernie AI models from June 30.
In the wake of DeepSeek, tech companies in China have been rushing to launch improved AI platforms to compete. In February, Tencent released a new AI model that it claimed could answer queries faster than DeepSeek, even as it integrated its rival’s technology into its messaging platform.
That same month, e-commerce giant Alibaba said it would invest 380 billion yuan ($52 billion) in AI and cloud computing over the next three years. The company also announced a partnership with Apple to develop AI features for iPhones in China. Alibaba also released a new version of its AI assistant app this month, powered by the open-source Qwen inference model.
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