Baidu Shifts AI Strategy: ERNIE Bot Goes Free, Open-Source Model Announced

Baidu to open-source its Ernie large language model series - SiliconANGLE

Baidu Inc. intends to open-source its Ernie series of large language models later this year. The company, the operator of China's most popular search engine, announced the plan today. Reuters reported that the initiative centers on an upcoming family of Ernie models dubbed the Ernie 4.5 series. Baidu will start rolling out the LLM series to users in the coming months and plans to open-source its code on June 30. The company uses Ernie to power a ChatGPT-like chatbot service called Ernie Bot. It can generate text, solve math problems and perform other tasks. The service reportedly had 430 million users as of November, up from more than 200 million in April. Baidu released the first version of Ernie Bot in March 2023. At the time, the service was based on an LLM dubbed Ernie 3.0 that the company had started developing in 2019. The model featured 10 billion parameters and was trained on a four-terabyte dataset. The current version of the LLM, Ernie 4.0, is described by Baidu as a "full upgrade with drastically improved performance." It can generate not only text but also images and videos. Additionally, the model has improved reasoning features that make it better at tasks such as solving geometry problems. Ernie 4.5, the upcoming version of the LLM that Baidu plans to open-source, will reportedly be followed by an even more capable iteration called Ernie 5. A source told Reuters that the company plans to release the latter model in the second half of 2025. It's unclear what features Ernie 5 is set to provide and whether it will also become available under an open-source license. The shift in Baidu's artificial intelligence strategy comes a few weeks after the launch of DeepSeek-R1 brought new attention to open-source LLMs. The model, which was created by Chinese AI lab DeepSeek, can outperform OpenAI's o1 reasoning LLM across several tasks. Its release lead to a brief selloff in Nvidia Corp.'s shares. Baidu is not the only LLM provider that is sharpening its focus on open-source models in the wake of DeepSeek R1's release. In a Jan. 31 Reddit thread, OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman wrote that the company will "need to figure out a different open-source strategy." But he added that "not everyone at OpenAI shares this view, and it's also not our current highest priority."

China's Baidu to Make Latest Ernie AI Model Open-Source

In China, ByteDance's Doubao chatbot has the most active monthly users Chinese search engine giant Baidu said on Friday it would make its next-generation Artificial Intelligence model Ernie open-source from June 30, a major shift in strategy as competition heats up. Baidu CEO Robin Li had long advocated for closed-source models as the only viable path for AI development, but the advent of DeepSeek has upended the sector. The startup offers open-source AI services that it claims are comparable in performance to US pioneer OpenAI's advanced systems but come with a lower operational cost. Keen to increase market share, Baidu also announced on Thursday that it would make its AI chatbot Ernie Bot free starting April 1, about a year and a half after introducing premium versions. Baidu was among the first big Chinese companies to invest heavily in AI following the 2022 debut of OpenAI's ChatGPT. However, its Ernie large language model has struggled to gain widespread adoption. Baidu has said its current version, Ernie 4.0, matches OpenAI's GPT-4 capabilities. In China, ByteDance's Doubao chatbot has the most active monthly users with 78.6 million, DeepSeek has 33.7 million while Ernie Bot has 13 million, according to January data from AI product tracker Aicpb.com. "We will gradually launch the Ernie 4.5 series in the coming months and officially open-source it from June 30," Baidu said in a WeChat post. Li appeared to have changed tack on open-source development, telling attendees at an event in Dubai this week that it could accelerate AI adoption. "If you open things up, a lot of people will be curious enough to try it. This will help spread the technology much faster," he said. Baidu also plans to launch a new next-generation model, Ernie 5, in the second half of 2025, a person familiar with the matter has said. © Thomson Reuters 2025

Baidu Makes ERNIE Bot Free, Goes Open-Source to Challenge ChatGPT

Baidu Shifts AI Strategy: ERNIE Bot Goes Free, Open-Source Model Announced Baidu is making a major shift in its AI strategy by offering ERNIE Bot for free starting April 1 and open-sourcing its ERNIE AI model on June 30. This move signals a departure from its previous closed-source approach and is seen as a response to growing competition from ByteDance's Doubao and DeepSeek. Despite being one of the first Chinese companies to invest heavily in AI after OpenAI launched ChatGPT in 2022, Baidu has struggled to gain a strong foothold in the chatbot market. By making ERNIE Bot free and embracing open-source AI, Baidu aims to attract more users and accelerate innovation. CEO Robin Li, who once opposed open-source AI, now sees it as a way to drive broader adoption and development plans to release ERNIE open-source and to also make its AI chatbot, ERNIE Bot, available free of charge starting April 1. This move is expected to help , which has so far not been successful in standing out among other AI chatbots in China, gain more users. Currently, ByteDance's Doubao chatbot takes the position of market leader with 78.6 million active monthly users, followed by DeepSeek with 33.7 million while ERNIE Bot lags behind with 13 million users. was one of the first Chinese companies to invest heavily in artificial intelligence in an attempt to compete with OpenAI after the launch of ChatGPT in 2022. Despite the latest efforts, ERNIE is still struggling to get traction. However, the company claims that its latest version, ERNIE 4.0, is on par with OpenAI's GPT-4 in terms of capabilities. The open-sourcing of ERNIE reflects a major change of Baidu's strategic direction. The company's CEO, Robin Li, previously opposed open-source AI due to Li claiming that Open AI could slow down the adoption of the technology. During an event in Dubai, Li stated that issuing AI models as open-source would permit more people to use it, thus allowing for greater advancements and diversification in its usage. Baidu also plans to release ERNIE 5 as its next generation AI model during the second half of 2025. The company makes this strategic shift because it aims to build its AI business alongside increased customer acquisition. As Baidu provides ERNIE Bot free of charge while planning open-source model availability, the company positions itself for growth against competitors in the AI domain. Further months will show whether the recent updates to ERNIE Bot succeed in catching up to dominant market players like .

Mark April 1: Baidu's Ernie AI goes free in a bold challenge to ChatGPT

Chinese search engine leader Baidu announced on Thursday that its artificial intelligence chatbot, Ernie Bot, will be available free of charge starting April 1, attributing this decision to improved technology and reduced costs. The AI service will be accessible at no cost to all users on both desktop and mobile platforms, as stated in a WeChat post by the company. Below is a translated version of the post: "Today, I would like to announce two good news to you: The deep search function has more powerful thinking planning and tool calling capabilities, can provide users with expert content responses, handle multi-scenario tasks, and achieve multi-modal input and output." Currently, users can experience the deep search function on Wenxin Yiyan's official website, and the APP will be launched soon. Baidu is facing increasing competition in China's AI sector, particularly from DeepSeek, which offers free AI chatbot services that it claims match the performance of leading U.S. systems like OpenAI's models at lower operational costs. Despite being one of the early adopters in AI technology after the 2022 launch of OpenAI's ChatGPT, Baidu has had difficulties achieving widespread adoption for its Ernie large language model. The company asserts that its latest version, Ernie 4.0, parallels the capabilities of OpenAI's GPT-4. Data from AI product tracker Aicpb.com indicates that Baidu's AI offerings have fallen behind those of competitors such as ByteDance's Doubao chatbot and newcomer DeepSeek. In late 2023, Baidu introduced premium features for its search engine based on advanced models, including Ernie 4.0, charging 59.9 yuan ($8.18) per month for these services. Additionally, Baidu announced the release of an advanced search function that will also be freely available from April 1. This feature is designed to provide enhanced reasoning capabilities and tool integration for offering expert-level responses. LLM performance scores are inflated: A new method shows the truth Baidu's declaration to make the Ernie AI model free represents a significant strategic shift aimed at regaining traction in the competitive landscape of next-generation artificial intelligence. Following this announcement, Baidu's stock rose by as much as 7.9% in Hong Kong, marking its largest intraday gain since October. This move could escalate a pricing war among major domestic players in the AI sector, including Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and ByteDance Ltd., which have been competing in this space since AI development accelerated in 2023. Although Baidu's Ernie was among the first AI platforms approved for public rollout by Beijing, competitors like ByteDance's Doubao have managed to attract more users. DeepSeek has made a notable impact on the AI industry, reportedly training its models at a significantly lower cost than both U.S. and Chinese counterparts. This model is gaining traction among local agencies. Meanwhile, Alibaba has captured attention from both investors and users through its enhanced Qwen model, which has shown strong performance in comparisons with Meta Platforms Inc.'s Llama and DeepSeek's V3 model in testing.

Baidu Takes Big Step to Catch Up by Making 'Ernie' AI Model Free

Baidu Inc. has taken the unprecedented step of declaring its Ernie AI model free for users, a move that could help the Chinese search giant regain momentum in a race to develop next-generation artificial intelligence. Its chatbot -- modeled on OpenAI's ChatGPT -- will be free for all users starting April, the company said in a weChat post Thursday. Baidu's stock extended gains in Hong Kong to climb as much as 7.9%, its biggest intraday gain since October.

Baidu to Make AI Chatbot Ernie Bot Free of Charge from April 1

It said it has improved technology and reduced costs around Ernie Bot Chinese search engine leader Baidu said on Thursday it would make its artificial intelligence chatbot Ernie Bot free starting April 1, citing improved technology and reduced costs. The AI service will be accessible at no cost to all users on both desktop and mobile platforms, Baidu said in a WeChat post. Baidu faces growing competition in China's AI sector, particularly from DeepSeek which offers free AI chatbot services whose performance the startup said is comparable to the advanced systems of US pioneer OpenAI at lower operational cost. Baidu was among China's first movers in AI following the 2022 debut of OpenAI's ChatGPT, but has struggled to gain widespread adoption for its Ernie large language model. It has said its latest version, Ernie 4.0, matches OpenAI's GPT-4 capabilities. In terms of user adoption, Baidu's AI offerings have lagged those of domestic competitors such as ByteDance's Doubao chatbot and newcomer DeepSeek, showed data from AI product tracker Aicpb.com. In late 2023, Baidu introduced premium features to its search engine powered by its advanced models including Ernie 4.0, charging CNY 59.9 ($8.18 or roughly Rs. 710) a month. It also announced on Thursday the launch of an advanced search function which would also be freely available from April 1. The feature promises enhanced reasoning capability and tool integration for delivering expert-level responses, Baidu said. © Thomson Reuters 2025

Baidu is making its AI assistant ERNIE Bot free to use starting on April 1

Amid stiff competition, Baidu says it's making its AI chatbot free to use. Starting on April 1, will be available to users at no cost. Baidu says it will also issue refunds to users in some cases. The company cited reduced costs and tech improvements as reasons for making ERNIE Bot free across desktop and mobile. Moreover, Baidu plans to roll out an advanced search function on the same day, per . This will also be available for free and is said to include upgraded reasoning capability. Baidu started offering premium features in its search engine in late 2023. Those were powered by advanced AI models such as . The company charged around $8 per month (59.9 yuan) for those features. While Baidu was one of the first major Chinese companies to amid the rise of ChatGPT, ERNIE is said to have struggled to find widespread adoption. By contrast, Reuters reports that domestic rivals such as the Doubao chatbot from ByteDance and upstart DeepSeek (which ) have seen stronger user adoption, according to a third-party data tracker.

Baidu to release next-generation AI model this year, source says

(Reuters) -China's Baidu is set to launch the next iteration of its artificial intelligence model in the second half of 2025, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. The new model, Ernie 5, will feature multimodal capabilities enabling it to process and convert between different formats including text, video, images and audio, CNBC reported earlier. The planned release comes amid intensifying competition in China's AI sector, notably from startup DeepSeek, which gained prominence after launching a reasoning model that matches OpenAI's GPT performance at lower costs. Despite being among China's first movers in AI following ChatGPT's 2022 debut, Baidu has struggled to gain widespread adoption for its Ernie large language model, even as the company claims its latest version, Ernie 4, matches OpenAI's GPT-4 capabilities. The tech giant's AI offerings have lagged domestic competitors, including ByteDance's Doubao chatbot and newcomer DeepSeek, in terms of user adoption. Baidu CEO Robin Li told attendees in a conference held in Dubai on Tuesday that DeepSeek's sudden emergence demonstrated the unpredictable nature of innovation. "You just don't know when and where innovations come from," he said. During the event, Li also said that investment in data centres and cloud infrastructure is still needed despite DeepSeek challenging the cost efficiency of large AI models. (Reporting by Liam Mo in Beijing, Brenda Goh in Shanghai, Mrinmay Dey in Bengaluru; Editing by Sonia Cheema and Sam Holmes)

Chinese tech giant Baidu to release next-generation AI model this year as DeepSeek shakes up market

BEIJING -- China's Baidu plans to release the next generation of its artificial intelligence model in the second half of this year, according to a source familiar with the matter, as newer players such as DeepSeek disrupt the segment. Ernie 5.0, called a "foundation model," is set to have "big enhancements in multimodal capabilities," the source said, without specifying its functions. "Multimodal" AI can process texts, videos, images and audio to combine them as well as convert them across categories -- text to video and vice-versa, for instance. Foundation models can understand language and perform a wide array of tasks including generating text and images, and communicating in natural language. Baidu's planned update comes as Chinese companies race to develop innovative AI models to compete with OpenAI and other U.S.-based companies. In late January, Hangzhou-based startup DeepSeek prompted a global tech stock sell-off with the release of its open-source AI model that impressed users with its reasoning capabilities and claims of undercutting OpenAI's ChatGPT drastically on cost. "We are living in an exciting time ... The inference cost [of foundation models] basically can be reduced by more than 90% over 12 months," Baidu CEO Robin Li said at the World Governments Summit in Dubai this week. That's according to a press release of his fireside chat with Omar Sultan Al Olama, UAE's minister of state for artificial intelligence, digital economy, and remote work applications. "If you can reduce the cost by a certain percentage, then that means your productivity increases by that kind of percentage. I think that's pretty much the nature of innovation," Li noted. Baidu was the first major Chinese tech company to roll out a ChatGPT-like chatbot called Ernie in March 2023. But despite initial momentum, the product has since been eclipsed by other Chinese AI chatbots from startups as well as large-tech companies such as Alibaba and ByteDance. While Alibaba shares have soared 33% for the year so far, Baidu shares are up 6%. Tencent has notched gains of about 4% for the year so far. ByteDance is not listed.

After DeepSeek Shook Wall Street, China's Baidu Gears Up For AI Battle With Next-Gen Ernie 5.0 Launch In Late 2025 China's Baidu Prepares For Ernie 5.0 Launch In The Second Half Of 2025. Offers Current Chatbot Free Of Cost From April - NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA), Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU)

In the face of rising competition in the artificial intelligence (AI) market, Chinese tech giant, Baidu BIDU, is preparing to roll out its next-generation AI model later this year. What Happened: Baidu is set to release the next version of its AI model, Ernie 5.0, in the second half of 2025, reported CNBC on Thursday. This development comes amid the disruption caused by new entrants like DeepSeek in the AI industry. The forthcoming model termed a "foundation model," is expected to show significant improvements in multimodal capabilities, enabling the processing and transformation of various data types, including text, video, images, and audio. Chinese AI chatbots from startups and big-tech firms such as Alibaba and ByteDance have outpaced Baidu's Ernie despite it being among the first ones to be launched. The current Ernie model, Generation 4, was unveiled in October 2023, followed by an upgraded "turbo" version, Ernie 4.0, in August 2024. Meanwhile, in a WeChat post today, Baidu also stated that the existing chatbot will be available at no cost for individual users starting in April, reported Bloomberg. This will accompanied by a free advanced search function to offer improved reasoning skills and seamless tool integration to provide expert-level responses. SEE ALSO: OpenAI Moves To Unify AI Models With GPT-5 -- Sam Altman Admits, 'We Hate the Model Picker As Much As You Do' Why It Matters: The launch of Baidu's next-generation AI model comes at a critical juncture as Chinese companies strive to create advanced AI models to rival OpenAI and other U.S.-based firms. On Tuesday, at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, Baidu CEO Robin Li stressed the importance of persistent investment in data centers and cloud infrastructure, despite the cost-effectiveness of AI models like DeepSeek. He emphasized the potential for cost reductions in foundation models, stating, "The inference cost [of foundation models] basically can be reduced by more than 90% over 12 months," stated Li. The CEO highlighted the need for more investment to develop smarter models, a statement made in the context of DeepSeek's recognition for creating language models that perform comparably to top systems like OpenAI's GPT, but require significantly less computing power. On Tuesday, Barclays maintained its 'Equalweight' rating on Baidu stock but raised the stock price target to $95 from $83 as a part of a re-rating of the broader Chinese ADRs. The launch of DeepSeek's revolutionary R1 model rattled the U.S. stock market in late January. NASDAQ lost 3.1%, indicating its highest one-day percentage decline since Dec 18, while chip giant, Nvidia NVDA lost close to $600 billion in market capitalization. READ MORE: Nouriel Roubini Says, 'Without OpenAI, DeepSeek Could Not Even Exist' -- 'Dr. Doom' Explains Why Inflation And AI Are On Collision Course Image via Shutterstock Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. BIDUBaidu Inc$93.800.49%Overview Rating:Good75%Technicals Analysis660100Financials Analysis800100WatchlistOverviewNVDANVIDIA Corp$131.04-0.08%Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

Not Just DeepSeek, China's AI Landscape Heats Up As Baidu Launches Free Ernie Bot - Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU)

Baidu, Inc BIDU stock gained Thursday after the Chinese internet search company shared plans to launch the next generation of its artificial intelligence model in the second half of 2025, CNBC cited unnamed sources familiar with the matter. The company looks to offer its artificial intelligence chatbot, Ernie Bot, free of cost from April 1 to all users on both desktop and mobile platforms, Reuters cites from Baidu's WeChat post. Ernie 5.0 could have enhancements in multimodal capabilities, CNBC cited the source. Also Read: DeepSeek Impact? Billionaire David Tepper Bets Big on China, Increases Stakes in Alibaba, JD.com, And PDD "Multimodal" AI can process texts, videos, images, and audio to combine them and convert text to video and vice versa. Chinese companies race to develop innovative AI models to compete with OpenAI and other U.S.-based companies. In January, Chinese AI startup DeepSeek prompted a global tech stock sell-off by releasing its open-source AI model, which said it could cost-undercut OpenAI's ChatGPT. Nvidia Corp NVDA lost $600 billion in stock value in a single day. Recently, Apple Inc AAPL tapped Alibaba Group Holdings BABA to bring AI features to iPhones in China after initially reaching out to Baidu. At the World Governments Summit in Dubai, Baidu CEO Robin Li proclaimed the possibility of slashing the inference cost of foundation models by over 90% in 12 months, which, according to him, implied raising productivity by a similar percentage. Baidu launched its ChatGPT-equivalent chatbot called Ernie in March 2023. Also, Alibaba cut Qwen-VL model prices by up to 85%, intensifying China's AI price war to gain market share. Baidu and ByteDance had responded to Alibaba's price war with their deals. CNBC's Jim Cramer wondered if Baidu might be the next Chinese tech giant to draw market focus after Alibaba and DeepSeek. Price Action: BIDU stock is up 4.46% at $97.50 premarket at last check Thursday. Also Read: Google Faces Rising AI Rivals Like Baidu and Yandex But Analyst Sees Search and Ad Growth Holding Strong Photo by Koshiro K on Shutterstock BIDUBaidu Inc$95.021.80%Overview Rating:Good75%Technicals Analysis660100Financials Analysis800100WatchlistOverviewAAPLApple Inc$236.19-0.29%BABAAlibaba Group Holding Ltd$118.360.03%NVDANVIDIA Corp$130.69-0.34%Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

Baidu Shares Jump as It Plans to Make Its AI Chatbot Free

Shares of Baidu surged after the Chinese tech giant announced plans to make its popular ChatGPT-style artificial intelligence chatbot available for free starting April 1, amid growing competition in China's rapidly expanding AI market. Baidu's Hong Kong-listed shares climbed as much as 12% on Thursday, putting it on track for its largest one-day gain in nearly two years, compared to the Hang Seng Index's 2.6% increase in afternoon trading. In a WeChat post, the Beijing-based company stated that it would offer its Ernie AI chatbot at no cost to both desktop and mobile users, citing advancements in technology and ongoing cost-cutting efforts. Baidu additionally launched a deep search function, which will also be free to use from April 1. The function is designed to handle more complex tasks with enhanced reasoning capabilities. Originally a search-engine company, Baidu became the first in China to launch a ChatGPT equivalent, the Ernie Bot, in 2023. Baidu's technology chief stated in November that the model had amassed 430 million users. However, Baidu, along with other players in China's AI sector, is facing increased competition, particularly from DeepSeek. DeepSeek made waves earlier this year when it revealed it had trained AI models that delivered high performance at a low cost, without relying on the most advanced chips. Baidu's share price movement reflects "capturing momentum that everything AI in China is leading people to believe that the platforms offering these models will become more popular," according to Morningstar Asia equity market strategist Kai Wang. "As people shift to imitate DeepSeek methods, the costs to train the model will decrease and may be reflected in their fundamentals with better cash flow," he said. Noting that Baidu's announcement is not a surprise as it has not yet materially monetized its model for personal use, Wang said the move aims to garner "greater traction to its platform for both advertising and enterprise customers."