Lai Lin Thomala
Research expert covering Greater China
Baidu - statistics & facts
Every internet user in China knows Baidu, the Chinese alternative for Google. The search engine has managed to stand out among many other domestic search engines in the country. However, making a name for itself as the search giant is not enough, the company is poised to be one of the most innovative tech majors in the world. With a focus on AI advancement, Baidu is one of the most prominent enterprises which have helped China position itself on the global tech map.
Similar to Google, Baidu has various subsidiaries, from internet services Baidu Browser and Baidu Cloud, to knowledge products Baidu Baike and Baidu Knows, to navigation and travel apps Baidu Map and Qunar, as well as virtual AI assistant Duer. Baidu even operates social networking sites Baidu Tieba and Baidu Space and video streaming platforms iQIYI and Haokan, amassing a monthly active userbase of over 660 million. Ernie Bot – an AI-powered chatbot – is the latest addition to the internet empire. The ChatGPT-like product was officially presented with pre-recorded videos in March 2023 to demonstrate its multi-modal generation competence, including produce text, images, audio, and video from a text prompt.
Currently, the Chinese AI innovator is one of the largest patent owners in smart driving and machine learning and AI. Some of Baidu’s ongoing projects are Baidu Brain (an open AI platform), Apollo (a smart driving system), PaddlePaddle (a deep learning platform), PaddleHelix (a machine learning-based biocomputing framework), Baidu Kunlun 2 (an AI chip), and XiRang (a metaverse application). In 2022, Baidu received the first license to provide autonomous ride-hailing services to the public in Beijing and had provided over five million rides as of January 2024. It comes as no surprise that the tech giant still has lots to offer from its AI ventures, and its role in China’s innovation will remain crucial in the next decade.
From search site to internet kingdom
Founded by Robin Lin and Eric Xu in Beijing in 2000, Baidu has become one of the go-to search engines in the world. Every day, hundreds of millions of people across the world search on Baidu, making over five billion queries. Behind the Great Firewall, VPN is the only access to Google, Bing, and Yahoo! whereas domestic search options like Sogou, Shenma, and 360 have been vying . Using a different approach to search result rankings and advertiser preferences, Baidu is able to take over 60 percent of the Chinese search market. Nevertheless, its monopoly has faced several backlashes in recent years, particularly regarding the promotion of sponsored sites in search results.Similar to Google, Baidu has various subsidiaries, from internet services Baidu Browser and Baidu Cloud, to knowledge products Baidu Baike and Baidu Knows, to navigation and travel apps Baidu Map and Qunar, as well as virtual AI assistant Duer. Baidu even operates social networking sites Baidu Tieba and Baidu Space and video streaming platforms iQIYI and Haokan, amassing a monthly active userbase of over 660 million. Ernie Bot – an AI-powered chatbot – is the latest addition to the internet empire. The ChatGPT-like product was officially presented with pre-recorded videos in March 2023 to demonstrate its multi-modal generation competence, including produce text, images, audio, and video from a text prompt.
Baidu’s AI vision
To keep up with domestic internet giants Alibaba and ByteDance in advertising sales, Baidu has been actively developing a full AI stack. Since 2010, the internet conglomerate started to research machine learning and major AI capabilities, like computer vision, speech recognition, natural language processing, and augmented reality. The company has successfully integrated AI technologies into its major businesses and even expanded its footprint in autonomous driving.Currently, the Chinese AI innovator is one of the largest patent owners in smart driving and machine learning and AI. Some of Baidu’s ongoing projects are Baidu Brain (an open AI platform), Apollo (a smart driving system), PaddlePaddle (a deep learning platform), PaddleHelix (a machine learning-based biocomputing framework), Baidu Kunlun 2 (an AI chip), and XiRang (a metaverse application). In 2022, Baidu received the first license to provide autonomous ride-hailing services to the public in Beijing and had provided over five million rides as of January 2024. It comes as no surprise that the tech giant still has lots to offer from its AI ventures, and its role in China’s innovation will remain crucial in the next decade.
