Baidu, the Chinese tech giant, has made significant strides in artificial intelligence by unveiling two new language models, ERNIE 4.5 Turbo and ERNIE X1 Turbo, during its annual developer conference, Baidu Create 2025, held in Wuhan on April 25, 2025. These models are designed to enhance multimodal capabilities, offering faster responses and improved reasoning while being cost-effective compared to their predecessors.
The ERNIE 4.5 Turbo model is priced at just 0.8 RMB (approximately 11 US cents) per million input text characters and 3.2 RMB (around 44 US cents) per million generated characters. This pricing represents an impressive 80 percent reduction compared to the previous version, ERNIE 4.5. Similarly, the ERNIE X1 Turbo, which boasts advanced deep-thinking capabilities, is available for 1 RMB (about 14 US cents) per million input characters and 4 RMB (approximately 55 US cents) per million output characters, making it a quarter of the cost of its closest competitor, Deepseek R1.
According to Baidu, the ERNIE 4.5 Turbo model operates faster and produces fewer errors in text generation compared to earlier versions. The company claims that its performance in text and image processing matches that of GPT-4.1 and even surpasses GPT-4o. Baidu CEO Robin Li emphasized the importance of practical applications during his keynote address, stating, "Without practical uses, even the most advanced models and chips hold little value." He added, "Applications are where true power lies. While there will be a multitude of models, it is the applications that will truly dominate in the future."
At the conference, Baidu also introduced the Huiboxing platform, which can generate digital avatars from short video clips. These avatars are designed to have a realistic appearance and natural voice, reflecting Baidu's commitment to enhancing user experience through AI. Another notable release was Xinxiang, a multi-agent app designed for complex task resolution. Currently, Xinxiang supports 200 task types, including knowledge analysis, travel planning, and office work, with plans to expand to over 100,000 task types in the future. This app allows users to complete complex tasks from a single prompt, showcasing Baidu's focus on user-friendly AI solutions.
Baidu's commitment to developer engagement was further highlighted through the launch of the AI Open Initiative, which provides developers with opportunities to market AI agents, mini-programs, and apps. This initiative aims to empower developers to build innovative applications without worrying about model capabilities or costs. Baidu is also integrating the Model Context Protocol (MCP) into its products, which facilitates seamless connections between external services and its large models.
In addition to the new models and applications, Baidu announced the third ERNIE Cup Innovation Challenge, which will double the prize amounts to RMB 70 million for outstanding projects. This initiative is part of Baidu's broader strategy to cultivate an additional 10 million AI talents over the next five years, ensuring a thriving ecosystem for future AI development.
The conference attracted over 5,000 developers and tech enthusiasts, underscoring the growing interest in AI technologies and applications. Baidu's focus on multimodal models—capable of processing text, images, and videos—reflects a significant shift in the AI landscape. Li predicted that the market for pure text-based models will shrink, while the demand for multimodal models will continue to grow.
Overall, Baidu's latest announcements at the Create 2025 conference signal a robust commitment to innovation in AI, focusing on practical applications that empower developers and enhance user experiences. The introduction of ERNIE 4.5 Turbo and ERNIE X1 Turbo, along with the new AI applications and initiatives, positions Baidu as a leader in the rapidly evolving AI industry.
