Government-approved AI chatbots were introduced to Chinese users.
Five China-based companies, including Baidu Inc and SenseTime Group, introduced their own versions of AI chatbots to the public after receiving approval from the government.
Reuters reported that Baidu, China's leading online search provider, launched a ChatGPT-like chatbot titled Ernie Bot. SenseTime’s SenseChat is up and running and fully accessible to users as well.
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Three more AI start-ups announced similar releases on August 31st.
Allegedly, 11 more firms, including TikTok and Tencent Holdings, have also received permission to work on AI products.
Baidu said that Ernie Bot’s introduction to millions of internet users will allow the company to collect valuable real-world feedback. It should improve Baidu’s foundation model and help develop the bot faster.
In a tweet, Baidu celebrated:
Within 12 hours of its public release, our ERNIE Bot (文心一言) app has claimed the No. 1 spot on the Apple Store's free app rankings in China.
The company is also aiming to release a series of AI-native apps.
The Chinese government requires companies to gain clearance before they can release mass-market AI products.
The government provided a list of rules for companies that wish to introduce AI services, including registration and security reviews. The data and foundation models should come from reputable sources and can’t undermine user privacy.
Reportedly, in a bid to compete with the United States, China is increasing support to companies developing AI technology.
In the West, AI is seeing increasingly widespread use. In June, a risk management firm Elliptic integrated ChatGPT to better identify cryptocurrency threats. And there’s been a surge in the value of some AI-related tokens.
