Baidu's Robin Li: Version 4.0 of ERNIE Bot Expected to Launch by Year-End
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On the evening of August 22, Baidu released its Q2 financial report, with revenue reaching 34.1 billion yuan, a 15% year-on-year increase, and net profit attributable to Baidu at 8 billion yuan, up 44% year-on-year. CNMO learned that during the earnings call, Baidu's founder, chairman, and CEO Robin Li primarily discussed ERNIE Bot, with two-thirds of the 70-minute call dedicated to ERNIE and generative AI. Li stated that version 4.0 of ERNIE is expected to launch by the end of the year. During the transition period before the new version's release, Baidu will promote the use of the current version and explore applications and scenarios across various industries.
Li highlighted the impact of ERNIE Bot on Baidu's businesses. He noted that in search, users can now find answers to previously unanswerable queries, driving growth in search services. Generative AI provides direct responses, improving user retention rates. Baidu's document service is testing an AI assistant feature, which has doubled user engagement time and increased the likelihood of users becoming paying subscribers.
Currently, ERNIE Bot remains in beta testing and has not yet been officially launched. Li mentioned that Baidu is awaiting regulatory approval, with no specific release date set, though he expressed optimism about the regulatory environment.
ERNIE Bot has also facilitated new partnerships for Baidu Intelligent Cloud. Reports indicate that since May, Baidu Intelligent Cloud has signed agreements with nearly 10 major state-owned enterprises to explore AI applications across industries. In May, it partnered with China Southern Power Grid to apply AI in power dispatch. In June, Sinopec signed a strategic cooperation framework with Baidu to deepen collaboration in AI for the petrochemical industry. In July, BMW Brilliance Automotive partnered with Baidu to explore AI integration across automotive manufacturing scenarios.
Additionally, Li emphasized that generative AI and large language models are demonstrating transformative potential across industries, presenting vast market opportunities for Baidu.