Listen to this articleIn China, Baidu is one of the leading AI companies. Baidu is working actively on AI research and development as well as AI products and solution in various industries and scenarios.
The ways Baidu can be compared to other AI companies in China are:-
- AI patents: According to a report by the China Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team and the Electronic Intellectual Property Center, Baidu got more AI patents than any other company in China. Baidu is with 5,712 AI patents as of October 2019, followed by Tencent with 4,115 and Alibaba with 3,406.
- AI investments: As per a report by Tsinghua University, Baidu invests in more AI companies than any other AI giant in China. Baidu invests in 53% of the nation’s 190 major AI companies, in sectors such as computer vision, natural language processing, speech recognition, and autonomous driving. Alibaba invests in 40% and Tencent invests in 29% of the AI companies.
- AI products: Baidu launched various AI products and solutions for different markets and needs such as PaddlePaddle (an open-source deep-learning platform), Kunlun (an AI chip), Apollo (an autonomous driving platform), DuerOS (a conversational AI platform), and Xiaodu (a smart speaker). Baidu also provides cloud-based AI services for enterprises and developers.
Nevertheless, Baidu is not without its challenges,
- Competition: Baidu is facing fierce competition from other AI companies in China and abroad, such as Alibaba, Tencent, Google, and Microsoft. The companies also invested heavily in AI research and development and launched various AI products and services in different markets, and needs. Also to maintain its market share and reputation, Baidu needs to constantly innovate and differentiate itself from its rivals.
- Regulation: Baidu also complies with the laws and regulations of the Chinese government and other countries for operation. The laws and regulations affecting Baidu’s AI development and deployment, such as data privacy, security, ethics, and intellectual property rights. Baidu also needs to balance its business interests with its social responsibilities and legal obligations.
- Talent: Baidu also needs to hire the right skills and resources for it to retain its top AI talent position to sustain its AI innovation and development stage. AI talent is scarce and in high demand, both in China and globally. Baidu also competes with other AI companies for talent, as well as provides a conducive environment and culture for talent growth and development.
In China, Baidu is a pioneer and leader in AI development and facing many obstacles and uncertainties in its AI journey.
Sources:- Technode, MIT Technology review, CBIinsights, CNBC, AImagazine