Baidu Inc's AI chatbot, Ernie Bot, has rapidly gained popularity with over 200 million users and 85,000 company clients since its launch in March 2023.

At a recent developer conference, Baidu introduced new AI models and toolkits that enhance the Ernie model's capabilities.

The company is focused on democratizing AI application development and is actively investing in multimodal Large Language Models (LLMs).

CEO Robin Li emphasized the success of Baidu's enterprise-level LLM platform, which has supported the creation of 190,000 AI applications.

Baidu's progress in AI is not without challenges, including data privacy issues, trade tensions, and constraints due to Chinese regulations.

Experts predict that generative AI technologies like the Ernie model could contribute significantly to the global economy, potentially adding $2.6 to $4.4 trillion in annual value.