Baidu has entered into a strategic partnership with Lenovo to integrate its generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology into Lenovo’s range of smartphones. This collaboration marks Baidu’s continued efforts to find practical uses for its AI model, leveraging Lenovo’s widespread smartphone distribution.
A Baidu spokesperson revealed that this partnership would see Lenovo’s smartphones equipped with Baidu’s Ernie large language model (LLM). This initiative mirrors previous collaborations with tech giants Samsung and Honor. Lenovo’s portfolio, including its brand alongside the Motorola brand, will now feature Ernie within its browser and app store applications across personal computers and tablets.
The Rise of AI in Smartphones
Including generative AI features in smartphones and offering capabilities such as chatbots and real-time translation is becoming a global trend. This movement gained momentum following the widespread acclaim of ChatGPT in late 2022.
With tech leaders like Google and Apple advancing AI integration in their devices, the competition in the AI smartphone market is intensifying. According to Canalys, a research firm, it’s projected that 5% of smartphones shipped globally in 2024, amounting to 60 million devices, will possess AI capabilities.
In China, where U.S.-based AI services such as ChatGPT and Google’s offerings are restricted, the demand has spurred the development of over 200 AI models by local firms, including Baidu’s competitors Alibaba and Tencent.
This scenario presents a unique opportunity for Baidu to enhance its standing in AI technology through smartphone integration and gain access to a wealth of data that could bolster its LLM’s capabilities against its U.S. counterparts.
