Baidu's Ernie AI Assistant Hits 200 Million Monthly Users, Cementing Role in China's Tech Race

Baidu's artificial intelligence assistant, Ernie, has crossed a significant threshold, now serving more than 200 million monthly active users, according to a January 20 report from The Wall Street Journal. The milestone highlights the Chinese search giant's accelerating push to embed generative AI into the core of its services, from search to productivity tools, as it vies for dominance in a crowded and competitive market.

Ernie Assistant is deeply woven into Baidu's primary search engine app and its PC offerings. It functions as a connective layer to major Chinese platforms like JD.com, Meituan, and Trip.com, enabling users to perform tasks ranging from food delivery and travel booking to seeking legal or healthcare advice. Beyond these utility functions, the assistant also supports multimedia content creation and offers users the option to switch to alternative AI models, such as DeepSeek. Its integration extends to Baidu's mapping and health platforms, creating a broad-based AI ecosystem.

The user growth coincides with international advances for another Baidu unit. Baidu Wenku, the company's AI-powered productivity platform, reported that its global expansion is gaining traction. Since the international debut of its "Oreate AI" feature in early 2025, the platform has attracted over one million global users. A major upgrade in September 2025 propelled it to the top of Product Hunt's daily rankings, generating notable interest across Europe, North America, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.

Analyst Perspective: "Reaching 200 million MAUs is a formidable achievement that validates Baidu's strategy of tying AI directly to its high-traffic products," said Michael Tan, a technology analyst at Beijing-based consultancy Sino Insights. "However, the real test is monetization and sustaining engagement against rivals like Tencent and Alibaba, who are pushing their own AI agents."

User Reactions:

• Zhang Wei (Product Manager, Shanghai): "I use Ernie daily to summarize reports and plan trips. The jump to 200 million isn't surprising—it's becoming a utility, not just a novelty."
• Priya Sharma (Fintech Analyst, Singapore): "The international numbers for Wenku are promising but still modest. Baidu's challenge remains translating domestic AI scale into global brand recognition."
• David Miller (Blogger, Tech Commentary): "Let's be real. This is about locking users into Baidu's walled garden. 'Integration' is a polite word for vendor lock-in. The MAU number is impressive, but where's the groundbreaking innovation? It feels more like a defensive play than a visionary leap."
• Li Na (University Student, Beijing): "Switching between AI models within Ernie is useful for my research. It's the convenience that keeps me coming back."

Baidu, listed on Nasdaq under BIDU, operates through its Baidu Core segment—encompassing online marketing and AI-driven services—and its streaming subsidiary, iQIYI. The company's latest AI figures signal its determination to remain a central player as China's tech sector increasingly pivots to an AI-first paradigm.