Baidu, one of China’s largest technology companies, has rolled out new AI-powered tools to refresh its flagship search engine of the same name and introduced an advanced video generation model that transforms still images into dynamic clips.
“Baidu is not waiting around to watch the paint dry, full steam ahead on AI,” stated Dan Ives, global head of tech research with Wedbush Securities, in an email with CNBC.
Upgrading its search engine with innovative features
Baidu’s search engine debuted in 2000. While the company has invested in AI capabilities since 2010, its latest revamp represents the most significant upgrade to its search engine in a decade. The AI new features include:
- The search box now accepts up to 1,000 Chinese characters, far surpassing the previous 28-character limit.
- Users can enter queries in more conversational language rather than using only keywords.
- Searches can also be performed by voice commands or by uploading images.
Considering Baidu’s original focus was on search engine functionality, it’s likely the company will continue layering AI-powered features into its platform as innovation accelerates.
Introducing an advanced video generation model
Baidu’s first AI product called Ernie Bot was launched in 2023; the AI chatbot offers functions including text, image, audio, and video generation. Ernie Bot has struggled to achieve the same popularity or sophistication as rival models like ChatGPT and DeepSeek.
With the launch of its video generation model MuseSteamer, users can generate lifelike videos in 1080p that are up to 10 seconds long. The platform produces clips complete with visuals, audio effects, and synthesized human voices to enhance realism.
According to Baidu’s team, MuseSteamer scored 89.38% on the VBench I2V benchmark, which is reported to be the highest score seen to date.
MuseSteamer offers three pricing plans: Basic, Standard, and Pro.
- Basic: $23.99 per month when billed annually
- Standard: $31.99 per month when billed annually
- Pro: $71.99 per month when billed annually
MuseSteamer is currently offered exclusively to Baidu’s business users; it does not have a consumer-facing app.
Taking steps to continue being a tech leader
MuseSteamer joins Baidu’s broader lineup of products, which includes an AI cloud, more than a dozen apps, and an intelligent driving platform. With its latest video generation tool and expanded search engine capabilities, Baidu is positioning itself to remain a key player among China’s tech-savvy users in the years ahead.
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