Baidu Unveils New AI Applications, Including Enhanced Text-to-Image Tech and No-Code App Builder

China's Baidu Inc has unveiled a suite of new applications for its artificial intelligence technology, highlighting a shift towards commercialization after years of research and development, reports Reuters.

The company, known for its search engine dominance in China, is among tech firms embracing the commercialization of large language models (LLMs) as potential alternatives to OpenAI's GPT.

At the annual Baidu World Conference, CEO Robin Li introduced I-RAG, an enhanced text-to-image generation technology that leverages Baidu's search capabilities to address the "hallucination" issue, which refers to the generation of images that deviate from the input text or contain non-existent elements.

Li also revealed that the company's Ernie platform now handles 1.5 billion user queries and interactions daily, a significant increase from the 200 million daily requests reported in May. These interactions encompass tasks such as generating text, answering questions, and assisting with various AI-powered applications.

Baidu's commercialization efforts have largely centered around its AI agents, which allow users to create their own applications. The company has also integrated this technology into its existing product lineup and is offering it to external users via its cloud services.

Baidu also unveiled a pair of glasses featuring a built-in AI assistant, developed by its hardware division, Xiaodu. The gadget is equipped with cameras to capture photos and videos and supports voice interactions powered by Ernie.

Li emphasized that Baidu is not aiming to create a "super app" based on AI, indicating a divergence in strategy from other companies such as ByteDance, which has launched multiple standalone AI apps this year.

Baidu also introduced Miaoda, which utilizes its LLM capabilities to generate code, enabling users to develop software applications without extensive coding expertise.