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Chinese online search giant Baidu’s Ernie Bot joins iFlytek’s Spark on Apple’s mainland App Store, but local AI chatbots still on trial mode

  • Ernie Bot and Spark are the first ChatGPT alternatives developed by local Big Tech firms to get listed on Apple’s App Store on the mainland
  • Internet regulator the Cyberspace Administration of China has yet to issue a licence for any generative AI product in the country

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Baidu’s Ernie Bot is free to download on Apple’s China App Store, but it is only accessible to users who had previously gained test qualification on the chatbot’s web version. Photo: Shutterstock
Ann Caoin Shanghai
Baidu’s Ernie Bot has become the second local ChatGPT alternative developed by a local Big Tech company to get listed on Apple’s mainland App Store after the debut of iFlytek’s Spark in June, heating up the competition among artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots in the world’s second-largest economy.
Ernie Bot, which was launched in March, was listed in the domestic iOS store’s productivity apps category, behind cloud service Baidu Wangpan. The AI chatbot was rated a 4.2 out of 5, based on a total of 248 ratings it had received as of Wednesday.

Developed by Beijing Baidu Netcom Science & Technology Co, Ernie Bot is free to download like Spark, but it is only accessible to users who had previously gained test qualification on the chatbot’s web version. New users must apply online to gain access to the app.

The service, however, remains on trial mode because Beijing has not allowed ChatGPT and other generative AI services to be made available to the general public. That means Ernie Bot users are required to obtain an additional permit to use any of the app’s functions after downloading it.

02:27

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Generative AI describes algorithms that can be used to create new content, including audio, code, images, text, simulations and videos. Recent breakthroughs in the field have the potential to drastically change the way people approach content creation.

The government’s proviso of limitations on Ernie Bot and other AI chatbots from various developers found on Apple’s China App Store reflects the concerns of regulators about the power of generative AI and its potential for disruption.
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