OpenAI’s ChatGPT Has a New and Improved Challenger

China’s largest search engine company, Baidu, plans to debut an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot service similar to OpenAI’s popular ChatGPT in March, according to an anonymous source familiar with the matter.

The tool, whose name has yet to be decided, will be initially embedded in Baidu’s main search services. It will also allow users to get conversation-style search results, similar to OpenAI’s platform.

The news of Baidu’s plans sent shares up by 5.8%, the largest intraday gain in almost four weeks.

Baidu is Allegedly Set to Launch ChatGPT-Style Chatbot

Baidu has invested billions of dollars in researching AI in recent years as the company looks to transition from online marketing to deeper technology. Bloomberg reported that the company’s Ernie system, a large-scale machine-learning model that’s been trained on data over several years, will serve as the foundation for the upcoming ChatGPT-like tool.

A Baidu representative declined to comment on the matter.

ChatGPT, OpenAI’s AI tool, has gained widespread attention since its public debut in November. The tool amassed more than a million users within days and sparked a debate about the role of AI in schools, offices, and homes.

Companies such as Microsoft and Buzzfeed have also invested in developing real-world applications, while others have capitalized on the hype to raise funds.

Baidu, along with other Chinese tech giants such as Alibaba, Tencent, and ByteDance, control a significant portion of China’s internet. Baidu has been trying to revive growth in the mobile era as the company has lagged behind its rivals in areas such as mobile advertising, video, and social media. The company is also developing autonomous driving technology in addition to its AI research.

Chinese internet users have also taken an interest in ChatGPT, with many sharing screenshots of conversations with the AI bot on local social media. Chinese startups are also exploring generative AI and have attracted investment from companies such as Sequoia and Sinovation Ventures.