Baidu Unveils Ernie 4.5 AI Model, Open Sources Technology

Baidu is set to launch its most advanced AI model, Ernie 4.5, in mid-March, featuring enhanced reasoning and multimodal capabilities, according to CEO Robin Li. This version will be open source and available for free starting April 1, a strategic move aimed at increasing competition with rivals like Alibaba and ByteDance. The introduction of Ernie 4.5 comes as Baidu faces pressure from emerging competitors such as DeepSeek, which claims its models rival those of established players like OpenAI. Looking ahead, Baidu is also planning to release Ernie 5 by late 2025, signaling its ambition to remain a leader in the AI space. Despite being an early player in AI, Baidu has faced challenges in user adoption, prompting a shift towards open-source development. The competitive landscape is intensifying, with other companies like Alibaba also moving towards open-source models.