China’s fast-growing AI scene had a big moment this week as Beijing-based startup Z.ai, formerly known as Zhipu, rolled out ...

Now that Baidu has made the decision to open source, even if it isn't a DeepSeek moment, it is an important one for the global AI race. "This isn't just a China story.

Baidu made its AI model Ernie 4.5 open source, inspired by DeepSeek's success. CEO Robin Li previously said closed-source models were more powerful and economical.

Chinese internet search giant Baidu will make its advanced AI chatbot services free, as competition heats up among global developers following the surging popularity of startup DeepSeek’s models.

Baidu was among the first Chinese companies to launch AI products following OpenAI's ChatGPT release in late 2022. However, its large language model Ernie, which Baidu claims matches GPT-4's ...

In 2023, Baidu launched paid premium functions for its AI service, including its text to image generator, charging users from up to 59.9 yuan ($8.2) a month. Ernie Bot has amassed 430 million ...

However, all of China’s leading AI firms were upended by the dramatic debut of DeepSeek, which took the industry by storm with R1, paving the way for an era of much more affordable AI models.

China's biggest public AI drop since DeepSeek, Baidu's open source Ernie, is about to hit the market By Kevin Williams, CNBC • Published June 29, 2025 • Updated on June 30, 2025 at 10:35 am ...

In 2023, Baidu launched paid premium functions for its AI service, including its text to image generator, charging users from up to 59.9 yuan ($8.2) a month.

Chinese internet search giant Baidu will make its advanced AI chatbot services free, as competition heats up among global developers following the surging popularity of startup DeepSeek’s models.