Baidu has launched Ernie 4.5, its latest multimodal foundation model, and Ernie X1, a deep-thinking reasoning model, making both available for free via Ernie Bot.
The move underscores Baidu’s push to undercut OpenAI and DeepSeek with low-cost, high-performance AI alternatives. Ernie 4.5, a native multimodal model, processes text, images, audio, and video, with improved logical reasoning, memory, and reduced hallucinations. Baidu claims it outperforms GPT-4.5 while costing just 1% of its price.
Ernie X1, designed for complex reasoning and tool use, supports advanced search, document Q&A, image generation, and code interpretation. Baidu has positioned it as a cheaper alternative to DeepSeek R1, offering similar performance at half the price.
Baidu’s latest models mark a shift toward high-performance AI at significantly lower costs. Ernie 4.5’s token pricing starts at RMB 0.004 (USD 0.00056) per 1,000 tokens for input and RMB 0.016 (USD 0.0022) for output, well below OpenAI’s GPT-4.5. Ernie X1 costs even less, starting at RMB 0.002 (USD 0.00028) for input and RMB 0.008 (USD 0.0011) for output.
Beyond pricing, Baidu has made technical refinements in both models.
Ernie 4.5 integrates FlashMask dynamic attention masking for improved accuracy, a heterogeneous multimodal mixture-of-experts (MoE) for optimized reasoning, and a self-feedback enhanced post-training process to reduce hallucinations.
Ernie X1, meanwhile, incorporates a progressive reinforcement learning method and an end-to-end training approach, improving structured reasoning and problem-solving.
The launch of Ernie 4.5 and X1 sets the stage for Ernie Bot 5.0, which Baidu plans to release by mid-2025. The company has been iterating rapidly, bringing new models to market in quick succession. Ernie Bot made its public debut in August 2023, making Baidu one of the earliest Chinese firms to introduce an AI chatbot in response to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Ernie 4.0 arrived in October 2023, claiming parity with GPT-4, followed by Ernie 4.0 Turbo in June 2024, which reportedly improved response speeds and expanded API availability.