Baidu plans to release the next generation of its model for powering generative AI applications in the second half of this year, according to a source familiar with the matter.

China's Baidu plans to release the next generation of its artificial intelligence model in the second-half of this year, CNBC reported on Wednesday, citing a source familiar with the matter. (Reporting by Mrinmay Dey in Bengaluru;

The new model, Ernie 5, will feature multimodal capabilities enabling it to process and convert between different formats including text, video, images and audio, CNBC reported earlier. The planned release comes amid intensifying competition in China's AI sector,

Deepseek’s AI model “is probably the best work” out of China, Demis Hassabis said on Sunday, but added it was not a scientific advancement.

Chinese AI startup DeepSeek’s claim of developing a powerful AI model at a much lower cost than major tech giants like Alphabet’s (GOOGL)