Baidu Launches New LLMs ERNIE 4.5 and ERNIE X1 at Competitive Prices, Challenging DeepSeek and OpenAI — However, They Are Not Open Source (Yet)

Recently, Baidu, a leading Chinese search engine company, launched two innovative AI models: ERNIE 4.5 and ERNIE X1. These models include a multimodal language model and a reasoning model, respectively.

Baidu claims that these models deliver exceptional performance on different metrics, outperforming notable competitors like DeepSeek’s non-reasoning V3 and OpenAI’s GPT-4.5 in various third-party benchmarks. These benchmarks include:

• C-Eval for knowledge and reasoning across 52 subjects
• CMMLU which assesses massive multitask language understanding in Chinese
• GSM8K tailored for math word problems

Baidu asserts that it can reduce costs significantly, offering ERNIE X1 at 50% lower than DeepSeek’s R1 reasoning model and ERNIE 4.5 at a staggering 99% less than OpenAI’s offerings.

However, both models have notable limitations. One concern is the lack of open-source licensing compared to DeepSeek’s model. Additionally, ERNIE 4.5 has a limited context capability of 8,000 tokens, which is significantly lower than the 128,000 tokens offered by some competitors. This limitation could restrict its uses mainly to customer service chatbot applications, as pointed out by a user on social media.

Baidu announced intentions to make the ERNIE 4.5 model open source by June 30, 2025. Users can currently access ERNIE models through Baidu’s API and its Chinese-language chatbot, ERNIE Bot, which is free to use. This chatbot is designed to answer questions, generate text, and engage in conversation.

ERNIE 4.5: The Innovative Multimodal Model

ERNIE 4.5 is designed to process various types of data, including text, images, audio, and video. It competes directly with OpenAI’s GPT-4.5, released earlier in 2025. Enhancements in this model contribute to better comprehension and reasoning abilities, along with improvements to prevent misinformation.

Some of the key innovative technologies in ERNIE 4.5 include:

• FlashMask Dynamic Attention Masking
• Heterogeneous Multimodal Mixture-of-Experts
• Self-feedback Enhanced Post-Training

On the other hand, ERNIE X1 focuses on deep reasoning capabilities, allowing it to handle sophisticated tasks such as documentation analysis and AI-generated image interpretation. The model integrates various inquiry tools, enabling tasks like advanced searches and data interpretation.

How to Access ERNIE Models

Both ERNIE 4.5 and ERNIE X1 are accessible on Baidu’s official chatbot website.

For developers and businesses, ERNIE 4.5 can be accessed through Baidu AI Cloud’s Qianfan platform. ERNIE X1 will be available via API shortly.

API Pricing Structure

• ERNIE 4.5:
  • Input: $0.55 USD for every 1 million tokens
  • Output: $2.20 for every million tokens
• ERNIE X1:
  • Input: $0.28 for every 1 million tokens
  • Output: $1.10 for every million tokens

For comparison, DeepSeek’s R1 charges:

• DeepSeek R1:
  • Input: $0.55 per million tokens
  • Output: $2.19 per million tokens

Baidu plans to incorporate ERNIE 4.5 and ERNIE X1 into its wider suite of products, including Baidu Search and the Wenxiaoyan application.

Important Considerations for Businesses

The introduction of ERNIE 4.5 and ERNIE X1 opens up various opportunities and considerations for business leaders, including:

• Performance vs. Cost: The significantly lower pricing may encourage organizations to consider integrating ERNIE models. Nevertheless, detailed performance assessments are essential for specific applications.
• Multimodal and Reasoning Advantages: The ability to interpret and generate content across multiple formats can be crucial for industries like customer support and finance.
• Integration with Tools: ERNIE X1’s features for advanced searches and document review may improve operational efficiencies.
• Localization Benefits: The models are tailored for Chinese language processing, potentially offering advantages for businesses operating in China.
• Licensing and Privacy: Companies should examine Baidu’s data policies and licensing terms before integration. Keep in mind the anticipated open-source availability of ERNIE 4.5 in mid-2025.

Expanding AI Horizons

As 2025 unfolds, Baidu is positioning itself as a key player in the AI space through its innovative multimodal and reasoning technologies. The company is enhancing its infrastructure and plans to remain at the forefront of AI advancements. By combining strong performance with cost efficiency, Baidu’s new models aim to deliver advanced AI tools for both businesses and individuals.

For more information, visit ERNIE Bot’s official website.

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