Baidu has launched its latest foundation AI models, ERNIE 4.5 and ERNIE X1, aiming to push the boundaries of multimodal and reasoning capabilities. With a competitive pricing strategy, Baidu is offering these models for free to individuals through ERNIE Bot while providing cost-effective options for developers.
Advanced Capabilities at a Fraction of the Cost
Baidu claims that ERNIE 4.5 outperforms leading models like GPT-4.5 in various benchmarks while being significantly more affordable, priced at just 1% of GPT-4.5.
The model features collaborative optimization across multiple modalities, resulting in enhanced comprehension across text, images, audio, and video. It also boasts improvements in logical reasoning, memory, and hallucination prevention. Baidu’s advancements are driven by technologies like FlashMask dynamic attention masking, multimodal mixture-of-experts, and knowledge-centric training data.
ERNIE X1: Deep-Thinking Reasoning Model
ERNIE X1, Baidu’s deep-thinking reasoning model, takes understanding and decision-making to new heights. Designed for applications like Chinese knowledge Q&A, literary creation, and complex calculations, X1 leverages tools for advanced search, document Q&A, image understanding, and AI-generated images.
The model is built using cutting-edge technologies such as progressive reinforcement learning and multi-faceted reward systems that enhance its reasoning and adaptability.
Integration into Baidu’s Ecosystem
Baidu plans to integrate ERNIE 4.5 and ERNIE X1 into its ecosystem, including Baidu Search and the Wenxiaoyan app, delivering an enriched user experience. Enterprise users and developers will have access to the models via Baidu AI Cloud’s Qianfan platform.
The Competitive Edge
Baidu anticipates that 2025 will be a transformative year for large language models and AI technologies. With ongoing investments in AI research, data centers, and cloud infrastructure, the company is committed to staying ahead of the curve.
For developers and businesses, ERNIE 4.5’s pricing and performance offer a compelling alternative to industry leaders like OpenAI and DeepSeek. Meanwhile, ERNIE X1’s enhanced reasoning capabilities further cement Baidu’s position as a significant AI innovator.
