Baidu Inc. is wading into the smartphone business with the launch of a new device under its own branding.
(Bloomberg) — Baidu Inc. is wading into the smartphone business with the launch of a new device under its own branding.
The Beijing-based internet firm’s Xiaodu unit, similar to Amazon.com Inc.’s Alexa division, will unveil its first smartphone product next week, a spokesperson said. Xiaodu has developed smart speakers running Baidu’s own DuerOS software, which the company describes as a conversational artificial intelligence system.
Baidu was among the earliest Chinese companies to offer a domestic alternative to OpenAI’s ChatGPT — with its Ernie Bot unveiled in March — following years of investment in AI. The company has said it plans to embed its AI tools into all major business lines, including in search, autonomous driving and smart gadgets.
The introduction of a handset under the Baidu umbrella would mark the first new Chinese entrant in the congested mobile market in years — and the first from among the country’s internet giants.
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