Chinese tech giant Baidu has recently unveiled its latest AI model, Ernie 4.0 Turbo, a significant upgrade to its homegrown AI model that has been popular with the Chinese market.
The announcement comes as OpenAI plans to block access to its API from China and other countries, effective July 9. This move potentially shuts down Chinese companies relying on its technology.
People walk past a Baidu logo outside the company headquarters in Beijing on February 2, 2024. Photo by JADE GAO/AFP via Getty Images
Baidu Upgrades Its Most Popular AI Chatbot
On Friday, June 28, Baidu revealed the upgraded Ernie 4.0 Turbo, which follows the October 2023 release of Ernie 4. Baidu claimed that the earlier version rivaled OpenAI's GPT-4 in capabilities.
As reported by Reuters, Baidu's Chief Technology Officer, Wang Haifeng announced that Ernie 4.0 Turbo will be accessible to the public through web and mobile app interfaces.
Unverified reports indicate that the improved AI chatbot will now support Baidu search plug-ins to make its dataset more grounded on real-world data.
Additionally, developers will also be able to integrate this advanced technology via Baidu's Qianfan AI platform. Alongside the new model, Baidu announced an upgrade to its PaddlePaddle AI ecosystem.
Baidu's Haifeng has also indicated that Ernie has gained substantial traction since its initial launch, now boasting 300 million users. Moreover, Baidu's AI ecosystem now reportedly supports 14.65 million developers and serves 370,000 businesses and institutions, reflecting Baidu's extensive reach in the AI community.
OpenAI's Move to Block Chinese Companies' Access to API
Earlier this week, OpenAI notified its users in China of its impending service discontinuation in the region, citing national security concerns as the driving factor behind the decision.
This move follows reports indicating that the US is considering restrictions on access to American-based technologies, including AI, in certain countries.
Chinese platform customers began receiving emails about the service discontinuation earlier this week. These notifications specified that additional measures would be implemented to prevent API traffic from entering unsupported regions starting July 9.
Despite ChatGPT being inaccessible on China's mainland, many Chinese startups have been leveraging OpenAI's API platform to develop their applications.
Baidu and Alibaba's Response
In response to OpenAI's decision, Baidu, Alibaba, and several Chinese tech firms have swiftly launched initiatives to attract affected users. Baidu announced an "inclusive program" to allow new users to migrate to its Ernie platform for free.
According to a statement from Baidu's cloud company, users of OpenAI's services will receive extra tokens for the Ernie 3.5 flagship model, commensurate with their usage of OpenAI's API.
Apple Partners with Baidu
Earlier this year, Apple chose Baidu to deliver generative AI technology for its iPhone 16 and other devices in mainland China - a collaboration further solidifying Baidu's lead in the Chinese AI market.
According to reports, Apple will include Baidu's Ernie Bot in its Chinese iPhone 16, Mac OS, and iOS 18. This decision is driven by the need for compliance with Chinese government regulations, which require local verification of AI models before distribution.
