Baidu unveils AI smart glasses, text-to-image generator at annual event – report

Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU) unveiled several new AI applications and products, including, AI smart glasses, a text-to-image generator and an agent which enables users to develop software applications without coding expertise, Reuters reported.

The Chinese internet search giant made the announcement at its Baidu World 2024 Conference held in Shanghai.

CEO Robin Li unveiled a text-to-image tool called I-RAG which uses the company’s search capabilities to address an issue known as hallucination, which refers to a response generated by AI that contains misleading information or contains non-existent elements.

Baidu also introduced glasses which have an in-built 0AI assistant, developed by its hardware unit Xiaodu, the report added. The product also has cameras to take photos and videos and supports voice interactions powered by the company’s AI model Ernie.

The glasses would potentially compete with Meta Platforms’ (META) Ray-Ban branded smart glasses. In September, Ray-Ban maker EssilorLuxottica (OTCPK:ESLOF) (OTCPK:ESLOY) had extended its partnership with Meta to develop multi-generational smart eyewear products.

Baidu also unveiled Miaoda, which uses its large language model, or LLM, capabilities to generate code, enabling users to develop software applications without extensive coding experience, the report noted.

In addition, Li noted that Ernie now handles 1.5 billion user queries and interactions daily, the report added. In August, the company said that the Ernie Application Programming Interface, or API, handled 500 million daily queries.

The interactions include actions such as generating text, answering questions, and helping with several applications using AI.

Baidu does not aim to create a “super app” based on AI, according to Li. The move signals a different strategy from companies such as ByteDance (BDNCE), which has launched multiple standalone AI apps this year, the report noted.

BIDU -2.42% to $86.14 premarket Tuesday