Baidu Offers Free AI Chatbot, Competition Intensifies

Chinese internet search giant Baidu has announced that it will offer its advanced AI chatbot services for free, intensifying competition among global developers in the wake of the rising popularity of startup DeepSeek’s models.

The company’s AI chatbot, Ernie Bot, which includes premium features like AI painting, will be available at no cost to both mobile and desktop users starting April 1, as revealed in a WeChat post on Thursday.

Read Also: Baidu to Unveil Ernie 5.0 Amid Market Shakeup

Just hours before Baidu’s announcement, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed the roadmap for its latest AI model, GPT-5, on X.

He stated that ChatGPT users would have unlimited access to GPT-5 for free, with paid subscribers receiving access to a “higher level of intelligence.”

Baidu responded on Friday with another post announcing its plans to launch the next generation of its AI model by the end of June and, for the first time, make it open source.

The company also mentioned that Ernie’s Deep Search function, featuring enhanced reasoning capabilities and expert-level responses, would be available for free in April.

These moves highlight the increasing pressure on Baidu and other firms amid the intensifying AI race in China, especially after DeepSeek’s recent model release.

Baidu’s stock surged by 12% on Thursday and contributed to a 20% rise in the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index since January.

CNN