Ernie 4.5 and Ernie X1: Baidu’s New AI Models

Baidu has introduced two innovative AI models, Ernie 4.5 and Ernie X1, highlighting its ongoing efforts to make a mark in the competitive global AI landscape. In addition to these models, the Chinese technology leader has made its Ernie Bot chatbot accessible free of charge, eliminating the previous paywall.

Features of Ernie 4.5: A Multimodal Powerhouse

The Ernie 4.5 model stands out as a next-gen multimodal AI, adept at handling various forms of media, including text, images, audio, and videos. Baidu presents Ernie 4.5 as a top-tier foundation model that excels in grasping intricate inquiries across diverse data types. According to the company, Ernie 4.5 surpasses GPT-4.5 on a variety of performance benchmarks, all while being offered at just 1% of the price of OpenAI’s leading model.

Key Features of Ernie 4.5

• Advanced language skills for more intuitive interactions.
• Enhanced reasoning abilities and memory retention for understanding long-term context.
• Superior comprehension of contextually rich content, including memes, satire, and subtle texts.

The model is set for open-source release on June 30, with Baidu planning to publish its source code and model weights for developers.

Introducing Ernie X1: A New Era of Reasoning AI

Baidu’s Ernie X1 marks the company’s first foray into reasoning-based AI, aiming to replicate human-like problem-solving and logical reasoning. Although the model has not yet been launched, Baidu claims it rivals the performance of DeepSeek-R1, another AI model developed in China.

Capabilities of Ernie X1

• Knowledge-driven Q&A specifically in Chinese.
• Literary creativity and manuscript development.
• Advanced conversational abilities.
• Logical problem solving and complex mathematics.
• Integration of multimodal tools, encompassing image and document analysis, code interpretation, webpage reading, and TreeMind mapping.

Ernie X1 employs progressive reinforcement learning and an end-to-end training methodology, featuring a visible chain of thought to bolster decision-making transparency.

Free Access to Ernie Bot

In a strategic move to enhance user engagement, Baidu has waived subscription charges for Ernie Bot, now available at no cost to all users.

Competitive Pricing for Ernie AI Services

The pricing structure for Ernie AI services is competitive compared to global players:

• Ernie 4.5 Pricing:
  • CNY 0.004 (₹0.04) for every 1,000 input tokens
  • CNY 0.016 (₹0.19) for every 1,000 output tokens
• Ernie X1 Pricing (upon launch):
  • CNY 0.002 (₹0.02) for every 1,000 input tokens
  • CNY 0.008 (₹0.09) for every 1,000 output tokens

While Ernie 4.5 is currently accessible through Baidu’s AI chatbot and cloud platform Quianfan, the timeline for the release of Ernie X1 remains unconfirmed.