Baidu likely to release next-generation AI model ‘Ernie 5’ this year

China’s Baidu is set to launch the next iteration of its artificial intelligence model in the second half of 2025, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

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, notably from startup DeepSeek, which gained prominence after launching a reasoning model that matches OpenAI’s GPT performance at lower costs.