Baidu Inc.’s founder, Robin Li, made an announcement claiming that the company’s large language model, Ernie 4.0, has caught up with OpenAI’s advanced GPT-4. Li believes that this puts Baidu in the lead in China’s race to develop AI that can rival the US. During a Q&A session in Beijing, Li showcased Ernie 4.0’s ability to provide answers and solve complex puzzles on the fly, claiming that it matches the sophistication and general capabilities of OpenAI’s product.
Ernie, Baidu’s chatbot, has now surpassed 45 million users, although it still lags behind ChatGPT’s estimated 180 million users. Baidu, often referred to as China’s version of Google, sees AI as a way to surpass its competitors such as Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and Tencent Holdings Ltd. Despite this announcement, Baidu’s shares were down approximately 1.5% on Tuesday.
Baidu is leading the way in China’s aggressive investment in generative AI, following the success of ChatGPT. Generative AI has the potential to craft video and content from simple commands. Baidu is competing with other big tech firms and startups to create a next-generation platform for China’s internet market. However, there are challenges due to US sanctions limiting Chinese access to advanced chips for training and running AI models, as well as Beijing’s strict censorship.
Rather confidently, Li stated that “Ernie is not inferior in any respect to GPT-4.” To demonstrate its capabilities, Li interacted with the latest version of Ernie Bot in real time, asking questions about buying property, solving math problems, and even requesting the bot to write a novel set in the world of ancient martial arts. This is a significant improvement from when Li introduced China’s first answer to OpenAI’s chatbot via a scripted video.
In June, Baidu claimed that an earlier version of Ernie surpassed OpenAI’s chatbot built on GPT-3.5 in terms of general abilities and outperformed GPT-4 in several Chinese-language capabilities, as confirmed by a local state newspaper test. Baidu hopes that Ernie Bot will become a core business alongside online marketing, helping the company regain users lost to all-purpose apps like those owned by TikTok’s parent company ByteDance Ltd. and Tencent.
Baidu has incorporated Ernie into its flagship products, including search, maps, file-sharing, work collaboration, and data analytics. Like its domestic rivals, Baidu benefits from the government’s clear endorsement of AI technology, which has the potential to enhance not only entire industries but also the country’s struggling economy. In August, China approved the release of the first batch of generative AI services, including products from Baidu and other technology companies.
