Heaptalk, Jakarta — Baidu’s Ernie Bot gained 200 million users 13 months after its launch, surpassing its rival ChatGPT, which reached 180.5 million monthly users as of March 2024, according to the DemandSage report.
“13 months since its debut on March 16, 2023, Ernie bot has amassed a total of 200 million users while Ernie API now handles 200 million daily queries,” Baidu CEO Robin Li said at Baidu’s AI Create conference (04/16).
In August 2023, the Chinese government allowed Ernie Bot for public use, as reported by CNBC International. The AI chatbot quickly became a popular application since the local government banned OpenAI’s ChatGPT in the country, where access to Google and Facebook is also blocked.
Several smartphone manufacturers, including Samsung and Honor, have embedded Ernie’s AI capabilities into their Chinese-selling phone models. According to Baidu’s statistics, nearly 26,000 enterprises actively access the Ernie bot monthly.
“In 2024, we hope AI can contribute more to the company revenue. Our core business also continues to be developed,” said Li, as quoted by CNBC Indonesia. The company will issue a business performance report for Q1 2024 in May.
The recent US-China technology war has exacerbated geopolitical tensions between the two countries. The US has taken a bold step by blocking China’s access to buy chips and chip-making tools to develop AI. This aims to hinder the development of AI in China as it is feared that it could endanger national security.
