Baidu’s shares gained as much as 4.8% in Hong Kong. In a post on its official WeChat account, Baidu said Ernie Bot — its ChatGPT rival — will become available to the public on Aug. 31. The company will also release a batch of new applications for users to experience generative AI.
China approved the first batch of generative artificial intelligence services for public rollout, freeing up homegrown technology champions including Baidu Inc. and SenseTime Group Inc. to openly compete with the likes of OpenAI Inc. and Microsoft Corp.
The Cyberspace Administration of China green-lit a handful of firms to move ahead in the field, including fledgling players and major technology names, people familiar with the matter said. Search leader Baidu and SenseTime were among the first to win approval from Beijing’s top internet watchdog. ByteDance Ltd. made its AI chatbot available to the public, but didn’t respond to requests for comment.
