China’s Search Engine Giant Baidu To Launch ChatGPT Rival In March

In a bid to take on the viral artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot ChatGPT, China’s search engine major Baidu is mulling to launch an AI chatbot service similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT in two months, says a report by news agency Reuters. With this, Baidu has become the next company to join the global race to commercialise the next generation of AI technologies like ChatGPT. 

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The technology firm plans to launch the service as a standalone application and gradually merge it into its search engine, said the person, who declined to be identified as the information is confidential, the Reuters report added.

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The search for ChatGPT on Google has hit a record high and China is leading in the demand, despite reports indicating that local tech giants have expressed opposition to the tool. Tencent has opted to remove ChatGPT-related programmes from the WeChat platform. It’s worth mentioning that ChatGPT has yet to be officially made available in the country.

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This comes close to the heels of Microsoft announcing that its partnership with OpenAI, the research lab and creator of chatbot ChatGPT has been extended. Owing to the overall simplicity of ChatGPT, Microsoft is also working to add the chatbot to its search engine, Bing — primarily in order to take on rival Alphabet-owned Google.

Meanwhile, tech giant Google is also preparing to introduce at least 20 AI-powered tools and a search chatbot during its annual developer conference in May this year, amid pressure from OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai has declared a “code red” and boosted AI development, as the tech giant sees ChatGPT as a threat to its search business.