Baidu (BIDU) has propelled itself into one of China’s leading tech giants, serving as the country as the most used search engine. Co-founded by Robin Li in 2000, Baidu is often referred to as “the Google of China,” as it hosts roughly 70% of China’s internet searches. The company also provides several other platforms, including maps, images and videos, and news searches. Baidu has also launched a new series of expansion focused on artificial intelligence (AI) and self-driving vehicles.
Advertising is Baidu’s primary source of revenue, and works similarly to Google AdWords as a pay-per-click platform in which advertisers can purchase ads within search results. According to a 2017 study by Thomson Reuters, Baidu was amongst the top internet companies by revenue, ranked higher than eBay, Netflix, and others.
Although Baidu’s primary product is its search engine, the company provides platforms such as maps, images and videos, and news searches. The company has also launched a campaign of aggressive expansion into artificial intelligence (AI) and self-driving cars.
With over 770 million internet users, China is home to the world’s largest internet population. Yet, with a population of nearly 1.4 billion people in China, Baidu has the opportunity for considerable future growth. Robin Li, CEO of Baidu, has also stated that he sees the company expanding to parts of Europe and the United States.
Baidu is headquartered in China’s capital, Beijing, and serves as the employer to roughly 40,000 people globally.
For latest news and current affairs, visit our current affairs category.