Baidu Inc.’s founder Robin Li announced that their large language model, Ernie 4.0, has caught up with OpenAI’s advanced GPT-4, positioning Baidu as a leader in China’s AI development race against the US.
In a Q&A session in Beijing, Li showcased Ernie 4.0’s ability to provide answers and solve complex puzzles on the spot. He stated that Ernie has reached the same level of sophistication and capabilities as OpenAI’s renowned product. The event took place in a converted steel mill, now serving as an auditorium, and drew a large audience.
Although Ernie chatbot has surpassed the milestone of 45 million users, it still falls behind ChatGPT’s estimated 180 million users, despite the US bot being launched months earlier. Baidu, often referred to as China’s equivalent to Google, is relying on AI to surpass competitors like Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and Tencent Holdings Ltd., who dominate the rest of the internet market. Baidu’s shares experienced a 1.5% drop on Tuesday.
Baidu is leading the charge of aggressive investment in China following the disruptive potential demonstrated by ChatGPT in generative AI, which can generate video and content based on simple commands. Baidu is considered a frontrunner in the race with major local tech companies and numerous startups to create a next-generation platform for the world’s largest internet market.
Despite attempts by Chinese companies to compete with American giants like Microsoft Corp. and Google in creating services similar to ChatGPT and Dall-E, their prospects may be clouded by US sanctions on advanced chips required to train and operate AI models, along with Beijing’s strict censorship. The US is tightening restrictions on exporting AI chips to China, creating further uncertainty.
Li assured the audience that “Ernie is not inferior in any respect to GPT-4.”
Assessing AI models is challenging due to their complexity. Li put the latest version of Ernie Bot to the test in real-time. He asked questions about buying property, posed math problems, and even requested it to write a novel set in the world of ancient martial arts. This demonstration contrasted with the scripted video in March when Li introduced China’s initial response to OpenAI’s popular bot.
In June, Baidu announced that a previous version of Ernie had surpassed OpenAI’s GPT-3.5 chatbot in terms of general abilities. It also claimed superiority over GPT-4 in various Chinese-language capabilities, citing a test conducted by a local state newspaper. Baidu now hopes that Ernie Bot will become a core business alongside online marketing, helping them regain users lost to all-purpose apps operated by ByteDance Ltd., the owner of TikTok, and Tencent.
Ernie has been integrated into Baidu’s flagship products, including search, maps, file-sharing, work collaboration, and data analytics.
Like its domestic competitors, Baidu benefits from strong government endorsement of a technology that has the potential to not only enhance entire industries but also revive a struggling economy.
In August, China approved the first batch of generative AI services for domestic release, which included products from both emerging players and major technology companies like Baidu and ByteDance. Ernie Bot briefly topped the download chart on China’s iPhone app store, surpassing one million users on its launch day, although it was later overtaken by established services like Tencent’s WeChat.
