Baidu’s Ernie Bot Hits 200 Million Users, Unveils Free Turbo Model
Baidu’s AI assistant, Ernie Bot, has achieved a major milestone, reaching 200 million monthly active users. The announcement came as the Chinese tech giant launched a faster, free version of its model to compete in the crowded AI market.
Key Takeaways
- User Milestone: Ernie Bot now has 200 million monthly active users.
- New Model: Baidu unveiled Ernie 4.0 Turbo, a free, faster, and cheaper version.
- Enterprise Adoption: 85,000 companies are building AI apps on the Ernie platform.
- Market Reaction: Baidu’s shares rose 1.5% in Hong Kong.
Leading China’s AI Charge
Launched in August 2023, Ernie Bot is one of China’s most prominent AI chatbots. Its growth comes as Chinese firms race to localise the technology following the global impact of Microsoft-backed OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
CEO Focuses on Affordability and Competition
Baidu CEO Robin Li, speaking at a developer conference in Beijing, emphasised making advanced AI affordable. “We are the first in the world to make such an advanced AI model affordable for widespread use,” he said. The move aims to fend off competition from domestic rivals like Alibaba and Tencent, as well as US firms including OpenAI.
Ernie 4.0 Turbo: Free and Faster
A key part of this strategy is the new Ernie 4.0 Turbo. Baidu describes it as a faster and cheaper version of its most powerful model, and it will be free for the general public.
Strong Developer Ecosystem
The company’s platform is gaining significant traction with businesses. Baidu reported that 85,000 companies are now developing their own AI applications based on the Ernie model.
The positive news was reflected in the markets, with Baidu’s shares rising 1.5% in Hong Kong following the announcements.
