AssetID: 54514294
Headline: UNCAPTIONED: Baidu and OpenAI Make AI Chatbots Free Amid DeepSeek Competition
Caption: Baidu and OpenAI Make AI Chatbots Free Amid DeepSeek Competition. Chinese tech giant Baidu announced that its AI chatbot, Ernie Bot, will be available for free starting April 1 as competition in the AI sector intensifies. The move follows OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s announcement that ChatGPT users will get unlimited access to GPT-5 for free, with paid subscribers gaining extra intelligence features. Baidu also revealed plans to release the next generation of its AI model by June, marking the first time it will be open source, similar to DeepSeek’s approach. The decision comes in response to DeepSeek’s recent AI model, which has delivered high performance at a lower cost, pressuring established companies to adjust. Baidu’s stock surged by as much as 12% following the announcement, boosting the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index, which has gained 20% since January. Chinese tech firms have been racing to develop AI alternatives since ChatGPT’s debut in 2022, with Baidu initially leading the push but later falling behind competitors like ByteDance’s Doubao. While Baidu was once a frontrunner in China’s AI industry, newer startups like DeepSeek and Moonshot AI have gained traction with advanced models and growing user bases. Moonshot AI’s chatbot Kimi has risen in popularity, ranking as the third most-used AI chatbot in China, behind DeepSeek and Doubao. Zhipu AI, a Chinese startup backed by Tencent and Alibaba, was recently added to the US Commerce Department’s Entity List for alleged ties to China’s military, a claim the company denies. With competition increasing, Baidu joins OpenAI and other major AI developers in offering free access to basic chatbot services, aiming to maintain relevance in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT
Keywords: Science & Technology,Make,AI,Chatbots,Free,Amid,DeepSeek,Competition,Ernie Bot,Tech,Science,Technology,ChatGPT,Unlimited,Access,OpenAI,Sam Atlman,Paid,Subscribers,Intelligence,Features,Baidu,China,Chinese,Tech Giant,Zhipu AI,Kimi,Moonshot,Doubao,Tencent,Alibaba
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