Baidu, the Chinese search engine operator, has launched a suite of new artificial intelligence tools aimed at promoting application development, as announced during the company’s annual AI developers conference in Shenzhen, China.
CEO Robin Li highlighted the significance of China’s expansive internet user base, advanced foundation models, and diverse AI application scenarios in his opening speech at the conference. He emphasized the accessibility of AI development, stating, “Everyone can be a developer.”
The newly unveiled AI tools from Baidu enable individuals without coding expertise to create generative AI-powered chatbots tailored for specific functions. These chatbots can be seamlessly integrated into websites, Baidu search engine results, and other online platforms, expanding the scope of AI application development.
Unlike similar tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which focuses on custom-built chatbots within the ChatGPT interface, Baidu’s offerings provide greater flexibility and customization options for developers.
Baidu also introduced three new versions of its Ernie AI model – dubbed “Speed,” “Lite,” and “Tiny” – catering to varying levels of task complexity. These models allow coders to select the most suitable version based on their specific requirements.
The company’s focus on building a comprehensive AI development ecosystem was underscored by Bo Du, managing director at WestSummit Capital Management, who praised Baidu’s approach to providing a full set of development tools and platform solutions.
Since its launch in March last year, Baidu’s Ernie bot has garnered over 200 million users and is accessed by computer programs over 200 million times daily. Additionally, more than 85,000 business clients have utilized Baidu’s AI cloud platform to develop 190,000 AI applications.
The applications showcased at the conference demonstrated the diverse use cases of Baidu’s AI tools, ranging from consumer-facing applications such as tourism and content creation to integration with virtual livestream hosts and AI-based buying guides.
Furthermore, Baidu highlighted the adoption of its AI tools by various businesses, which leverages ChatGPT for an interactive e-commerce app in the U.S.
Looking ahead, Baidu CEO Robin Li emphasized the future of AI applications based on a “mixture of experts” (MoE) approach and the company’s advancements in AI-produced code. Baidu’s AI coding assistant, Comate, has contributed to 27% of the company’s newly generated code and boasts over 10,000 corporate users.
While Baidu did not specifically address the global shortage in computing power during the conference, Dou Shen, head of AI cloud at Baidu, acknowledged “uncertainties” in the chip supply chain and highlighted the company’s platform’s ability to access various chip technologies.
Baidu’s latest AI tools mark a significant step forward in democratizing AI development and advancing the capabilities of AI applications across diverse industries.
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