Ernie 4.5 Turbo and Ernie X1 Turbo: Faster and cheaper AI models from Baidu

Developer Conference 2025: Baidu sets new standards in the AI

In a world that is increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence (AI), the Chinese technology giant Baidu gave an impressive insight into the future of AI at his annual developer conference Baidu Create 2025 (April 25, 2025 in Wuhan). With the presentation of two new, state-of-the-art AI models-Ernie 4.5 Turbo and Ernie X1 Turbo-as well as a number of innovative AI applications and developer initiatives, Baidu impressively demonstrates its commitment to the practical application of AI technologies. The company not only relies on performance, but also on cost efficiency in order to make AI accessible to a wider user base.

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• Baidu attacks with its new AI models Ernie 4.5 and Ernie X1: Comparable to Deepseek, but at half price

Ernie 4.5 Turbo and Ernie X1 Turbo: a quantum leap in performance and efficiency

The two new models, Ernie 4.5 Turbo and Ernie X1 Turbo, represent significant progress in the development of AI systems. They were specially developed to improve the multimodal skills and the logical thinking of AI and at the same time drastically reduce operating costs. This combination of improved performance and reduced costs is a crucial factor to establish AI technologies in various industries and applications.

Ernie 4.5 Turbo is particularly characterized by its ability to deliver faster answers and at the same time reduce so -called “hallucinations”. Hallucinations are a well-known problem with AI models in which false or misleading information is generated. Minimizing this source of error significantly increases the reliability and credibility of AI systems. In addition, Ernie 4.5 Turbo is extremely cost -effective with a price of only 20% of the original Ernie 4.5 model. This enables companies and developers to use AI technologies to a larger scale without breaking their budget.

Specifically, Baidu for Ernie 4.5 Turbo 0.8 RMB (approx. 11 US cent) calculates every million text signs and 3.2 RMB (approx. 44 US cent) generated per million. These prices are extremely competitive compared to other AI models on the market and underline Baidus Engagement to make AI accessible to everyone.

Baidu emphasizes that Ernie 4.5 Turbo not only works faster than its predecessors, but also makes fewer mistakes in text generation. The performance in the processing of texts and images should even be at the level of GPT-4.1 and GPT-4O in some areas. This indicates that Baidu is able to compete with the leading AI models from the West and possibly even set new standards. Particularly noteworthy are the extensive improvements in understanding videos, photos and text generation. These skills are crucial for a variety of applications, from the automatic creation of video content to improving the accuracy of image identification systems.

Ernie X1 Turbo, on the other hand, is an improved deep-thinking reading model, which, according to Baidu, is available at half a price of Ernie X1. This model was specially developed for complex tasks that require a deep understanding and logical thinking. It is particularly noteworthy that Ernie X1 Turbo not only offers an improved performance, but also only costs 25% of the price of its competitor Deepseek R1. This makes it an extremely attractive option for companies and developers who are looking for a cost-efficient solution for demanding AI applications.

The use of Ernie X1 Turbo costs 1 RMB (approx. 14 US cent) per million input signs and 4 RMB (approx. 55 US cent) per million output signs-a quarter of the costs of deepseek R1. This aggressive pricing shows that Baidu is ready to invest in the AI ​​market and strengthen its market position with attractive offers.

According to Baidu, Ernie X1 Turbo exceeds the competitive models Deepseek-R1 and Deepseek-V3 in various benchmarks and still offers a significantly cheaper alternative. This indicates that Baidu not only attaches importance to the price, but also on the performance of its models.

Xinxiang: Multi-agent collaboration for complex tasks

In addition to the new AI models, Baidu has also presented a number of new AI applications that focus on the practical use of the technology. One of the main innovations is Xinxiang, a multi-agent collaboration app that can solve complex problems for users as a “general superagent”. This app enables complete task processing from a single sentence request.

Xinxiang can be seen as a kind of personal AI assistant who is able to understand, plan and carry out complex tasks. The app uses the skills of various AI agents, each specializing in certain areas. Through the cooperation of these agents, Xinxiang is able to manage tasks that would be too complex for individual AI systems.

According to Baidu, Xinxiang currently dominates 200 different tasks in scenarios such as knowledge analysis, travel planning, study and office work. This indicates that the app is already able to take on a variety of tasks in different areas. Baidu plans to expand the number of tasks to over 100,000 in the future. This would make Xinxiang an even more versatile and more powerful tool that is able to manage almost every task.

Xinxiang is currently available for Android devices, while an iOS version is in the test. Availability on different platforms is an important factor to achieve a wide user base and to promote acceptance of the app.

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Digital people and Cangzhou OS: Innovative technologies for the future of interaction

Baidu also presented new technologies for extremely convincing digital people with lifelike voices and appearances. These digital avatars, developed by the Huiboxing platform, can be created from short video recordings.

Digital people have the potential to fundamentally change the way we interact with technology. They can be used in a variety of applications, from virtual assistants and customer service employees to teachers and moderators. By creating lifelike digital avatars, which are able to speak and interact naturally, Baidu makes this technology accessible to a wider user basis.

In addition, Baidu presented the first content operating system called “Cangzhou OS”, which was jointly developed by Baidu Wenku (document library) and Baidu Drive (cloud memory). With Cangzhou OS, Baidu Drive Ai Note has introduced, which is the first multimodal AI tool to create notes. With just one click, users can create quick notes, mind maps and quiz questions from educational videos.

Cangzhou OS is an example of how AI can be used to improve the way we create, organize and use content. By integrating AI functions into its existing products, Baidu makes this technology accessible to its millions of users. The AI ​​Note function is particularly useful for students and learners because it helps you to grasp information from educational videos quickly and efficiently.

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Support for developers and new initiatives: Baidu promotes the AI ​​ecosystem

Baidu also presented several initiatives at the conference that are aimed specifically at developers. The “Ai Open Initiative” (Sai.baidu.com) offers developers access to traffic and monetization options as well as access to the latest AI services. This initiative is aimed at AI applications in different forms, including intelligent agents, H5 pages, mini programs and independent apps.

By providing resources and support for developers, Baidu contributes to promoting the AI ​​ecosystem and accelerating the development of new and innovative AI applications. The AI ​​Open Initiative is an important step to bridge the gap between AI research and practical application.

Baidu also announced the complete support of the Model Context Protocol (MCP), which is described as a “universal socket” for AI and enables seamless connections between external services and large models through standardized interfaces. The integration of MCP into existing products is intended to provide developers an effortless experience in access and use of Baidus services.

MCP is an important standard that improves the interoperability of AI systems and simplifies the development of AI applications. With the support of MCP, Baidu helps to create an open and accessible AI ecosystem.

Baidus vision of the future of AI: Applications are the key to success

During the conference, Baidu-CEO Robin Li emphasized that the future of AI was in practical applications and not just in progressive models or chips. "Without practical applications, neither advanced chips nor complex models have a value. While there will be a variety of models, it is the applications that will really dominate in the future. In the applications, the real power lies," said Li in his keynote.

This philosophy is reflected in Baidus's current product portfolio. Baidu Wenku's AI functions have already won 40 million paying users and 97 million monthly active users, while Baidu Drive's AI functions serve more than 80 million monthly active users. These figures show that Baidu is able to successfully integrate AI technologies into its existing products and create added value for its users.

Li's statement underlines an important point in the AI ​​debate. While the development is undoubtedly important more and more powerful models and chips, it is ultimately the ability to use these technologies in practical applications that make up the true value of AI. Baidu recognized this and focuses on developing AI solutions that make a difference in the real world.

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The effects of Baidus innovations on the global AI market

Baidus announcements at the Baidu Create 2025 conference have the potential to change the global AI market sustainably. By combining powerful models at significantly reduced costs and the focus on practical applications, the company follows an approach that should address both end users and developers. The aggressive pricing policy and the focus on applications could further increase the pressure on western AI companies and change the landscape of AI technology sustainably.

The low prices for Ernie 4.5 Turbo and Ernie X1 Turbo could lead to other AI providers forced to reduce their prices in order to remain competitive. This would make AI technologies accessible to a broader user base and accelerate the development of new and innovative applications.

In addition, Baidus focus on practical applications could also lead to other AI companies concentrating more on the development of solutions that offer added value in the real world. This would lead to a shift of the focus from pure model development to application orientation.

It remains to be seen how the AI ​​landscape will develop in the coming years. However, one thing is certain: Baidu has shown with his recent announcements that it is an important player in the global AI competition and has the potential to significantly influence the future of AI. The combination of technological progress, cost efficiency and application focus makes Baidu a company that should be kept in mind. The competition in the AI ​​area will be more intensive, and ultimately the companies will be successful that not only develop powerful models, but are also able to transform these models into useful and affordable applications. Baidu seems to be on the right track to achieve that.

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