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Baidu, Inc. is a major Chinese multinational technology company. It specializes in Internet services and artificial intelligence (AI). AI refers to computer systems designed to perform tasks that usually require human intelligence. Baidu holds a dominant position in the search engine market in China through Baidu Search. The company has grown into a massive ecosystem of digital tools. It provides newsfeeds via the Baidu App and user-created encyclopedias through Baidu Baike. It also operates iQIYI for video streaming and Baidu Tieba for online forums.

Baidu headquarters at Shangdi (20220509112439)
Baidu headquarters at Shangdi (20220509112439)

The core of Baidu's success lies in its sophisticated search technology. This began with a system called RankDex, created by Robin Li in 1996. RankDex used a method called "link analysis" to rank website quality. This process measures a site's popularity by counting how many other websites link to it. This technology predated the PageRank algorithm used by Google. In fact, Google founder Larry Page cited Li's work in several U.S. patents. Baidu incorporated in January 2000 with founders Robin Li and Eric Xu. They applied these advanced ranking principles to build a powerful search engine. In 2001, they pioneered an advertising model where advertisers pay for every click. This approach helped define how modern internet businesses generate revenue.

Baidu has expanded far beyond simple web searches into many specialized sectors. One major area is autonomous driving, which involves vehicles that drive themselves. Through the Apollo project, Baidu develops self-driving platforms. This includes vehicle hardware, open-source software, and cloud data services. They also create smart consumer electronics under the name Xiaodu. The company has built a full-service AI stack. This stack includes software, specialized computer chips, and cloud infrastructure. They also develop foundation models, which are large-scale AI systems used for many tasks. These different parts work together to create a complete digital environment.

The company's history is marked by significant global milestones. In December 2007, Baidu became the first Chinese company included in the NASDAQ-100 index. This index tracks some of the largest non-financial companies on the U.S. stock market. By May 2018, the company's market capitalization reached US$99 billion. In 2018, Baidu became the first Chinese firm to join the Partnership on AI. This is a United States-based consortium focused on computer ethics. The Chinese government recognizes Baidu as one of its "national champion" corporations. This status highlights its importance to the nation's technological development.

Baidu's recent years have focused heavily on generative AI and advanced robotics. In August 2023, the company unveiled Ernie Bot, a large language model chatbot. They continued this progress by releasing Ernie 4.0 and the GenAI Ernie model. In March 2025, they released two new models: ERNIE 4.5 and ERNIE X1. ERNIE X1 is a reasoning model designed for complex problem-solving. The company also works on autonomous ride-hailing services called Apollo Go. As of April 2024, this service had completed six million rides using driverless robotaxis. These vehicles operate in 11 different cities. In Wuhan, the fleet includes over 400 driverless vehicles.

Baidu headquarters at Shangdi (20220509112439)
Baidu headquarters at Shangdi (20220509112439)

Despite its success, the company has faced technical challenges and security incidents. In January 2010, Baidu experienced a domain name redirection attack. Hackers altered the DNS records for Baidu.com in the United States. This caused browsers to be redirected to a different website for four hours. The incident occurred because a technical support staff member at a registrar changed an email address. This change happened despite a lack of proper security verification. Baidu eventually took legal action against the registrar and settled the case out of court. This event serves as a notable example of the complexities of internet security.

Today, Baidu's influence connects many different fields of modern life. Its technology links search, media, travel, and transportation. For example, the company controls Qunar, a travel-booking service. In 2013, Qunar had 31.4 million active users. The company's work in AI also connects to the semiconductor industry. In 2026, Baidu filed to list its semiconductor unit, Kunlunxin, on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. From the chips in smartphones to the software in self-driving buses, Baidu's systems are deeply integrated into the global technological landscape.

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