Baidu ERNIE Bot - Leading Chinese Free AI Chatbot

📋 Service Information

Provider: Baidu
Service Type: Chatbot (Web conversation interface)
Access URL: https://yiyan.baidu.com
Free Type: Fully free from April 1, 2025

🎯 Service Overview

ERNIE Bot (Wenxin Yiyan) is Baidu’s generative AI conversation service. Starting from April 1, 2025, Baidu announced that ERNIE Bot will be fully free and open to all PC and App users.

Core Advantages:

• 🎉 Fully Free from 4/1/2025 - Available on PC and mobile
• 🆕 Latest Models - ERNIE 4.5 multimodal, ERNIE X1 reasoning
• 🇨🇳 Top Chinese Performance - Industry-leading Chinese understanding
• 🎨 Multimodal Support - Text, image, audio, video
• 📄 Document Processing - Supports ultra-long document processing
• 🔍 Retrieval Enhancement - Professional search capabilities
• 🎨 AI Painting - Advanced AI image generation
• 🌐 Multilingual - Supports multiple languages

🚀 How to Use

Prerequisites

• ✅ Registered Baidu account (phone or email)
• ❌ No real-name verification required
• ❌ No credit card required

Usage Steps

🎨 Features

1. Basic Conversation

Supported:

• Multi-turn conversation with context retention
• Chinese and English bilingual
• Complex question understanding
• High-quality content generation

Scenarios:

• Daily Q&A
• Content creation
• Learning assistance
• Information retrieval

2. Multimodal Understanding (ERNIE 4.5)

Text:

• Ultra-long text processing
• Document analysis and summarization
• Multilingual translation

Image:

• Image recognition and analysis
• Internet meme understanding
• Satirical comic analysis
• OCR text recognition

Audio/Video:

• Audio to text
• Video content analysis
• Multimedia content understanding

3. Reasoning Capability (ERNIE X1)

Deep Reasoning:

• Complex problem decomposition
• Logical reasoning
• Mathematical problem solving
• Algorithm design

Tool Calling:

• Code interpreter
• Real-time calculation
• Data analysis

Multi-turn Optimization:

• Result improvement based on feedback
• Progressive problem solving

4. Ultra-long Document Processing

Features:

• Upload ultra-long documents
• Document content analysis
• Quick key information extraction
• Document summary generation

Supported Formats:

• PDF
• Word (DOC/DOCX)
• TXT
• Excel

5. Professional Retrieval Enhancement

Features:

• Online search for latest information
• Authoritative source citation
• Reference link provision
• Ensure answer timeliness

Scenarios:

• Real-time news queries
• Latest information retrieval
• Professional knowledge search

6. Advanced AI Painting

Features:

• Text-to-image generation
• Multiple artistic styles
• High-resolution image output
• Image editing and modification

Scenarios:

• Creative design
• Image generation
• Artistic creation

🔢 Usage Limits

Free Quota

⚠️ Important Notes:

• From April 1, 2025, ERNIE Bot is free for all users
• Available on both PC and mobile
• Some advanced/enterprise features may have quotas or paid options (check official website)
• May need to queue during peak hours

💡 Usage Tips

✅ Best Practices

1. Leverage Multimodal Features

   Example: Upload image → Ask to analyze content
   Example: Upload document → Request summary
   Example: Describe scene → Generate illustration

2. Use Retrieval Enhancement for Latest Info

   Example: "What are today's important news?"
   Example: "Latest AI technology updates"
   Example: "2025 Spring Festival holiday schedule"

3. Use Reasoning Model for Complex Problems

   Example: Mathematical proofs
   Example: Algorithm design problems
   Example: Logic puzzles

4. Optimize Prompts

   • Be specific and clear
   • Provide necessary context
   • Specify output format
   • Describe needs step-by-step

🎯 Practical Cases

Case 1: Document Analysis

Upload: A 50-page research report PDF
Ask: "Please summarize the core points and conclusions"
ERNIE Bot will: Analyze document → Extract key info → Generate structured summary

Case 2: Creative Writing

Ask: "Write a popular science article about AI, about 800 words,
     easy to understand, suitable for high school students"
ERNIE Bot will: Generate high-quality article

Case 3: Learning Assistant

Ask: "Explain quantum computing and give examples of applications"
ERNIE Bot will: Detailed explanation → Examples → Application analysis

Case 4: AI Painting

Ask: "Generate a Chinese-style landscape painting with mountains,
     water, bridge, bamboo forest, evening sunset lighting"
ERNIE Bot will: Generate beautiful image based on description

⚠️ Notes

1. Content Moderation

   • Complies with Chinese laws and regulations
   • Sensitive content will be rejected
   • Focus on legal and compliant use

2. Peak Hour Queuing

   • May need to wait during peak hours
   • Suggest avoiding peak times
   • Or use mobile app

3. Data Privacy

   • Conversation history saved in cloud
   • Don’t share sensitive information
   • Manage history in settings

4. Access Requirements

   • Requires Baidu account
   • Smooth access in China
   • No VPN required

🔧 FAQ

1. When will it be fully free?

Answer: From April 1, 2025, ERNIE Bot is fully free for all users.

2. Is real-name verification required?

Answer: Chatbot doesn’t require real-name verification, only Baidu account. API service requires verification.

3. Are there usage limits?

Answer: Officially announced as fully free, no explicit limits currently, but may queue during peak hours.

4. What devices are supported?

Answer:

• PC: Access via browser at https://yiyan.baidu.com
• Mobile: Download “Wenxin Yiyan” app (iOS/Android)
• Tablet: Supports tablet browser and app

5. What’s the difference from API?

Answer:

• Chatbot: Web/App conversation, for general users, completely free
• API: Programming interface, for developers, has free and paid models

6. Can overseas users access?

Answer: Yes, but:

• Primarily serves mainland China users
• Overseas access may be slower
• App may not be available in some regional app stores

🌟 Core Advantages

Comparison with Other Chatbots

Unique Highlights

1. Chinese Leader: Self-developed Chinese large language model
2. Top Chinese Performance: Optimized for Chinese, understands Chinese culture
3. Compliant: Meets domestic regulations, safe for commercial use
4. Fully Free: Open from April 1, 2025
5. Fast Access: Servers in China, quick response

🎯 Use Cases

Suitable For

• ✅ Education: Knowledge Q&A, homework help, learning assistance
• ✅ Content Creation: Article writing, idea generation, copywriting
• ✅ Work Assistant: Email writing, report summarization, data analysis
• ✅ Daily Life: Life consultation, information queries, entertainment chat
• ✅ Document Processing: PDF analysis, Word summarization, data extraction
• ✅ Creative Design: AI painting, image generation, illustration creation

Not Suitable For

• ❌ Programmatic Calls: Need API integration → Use Baidu Qianfan API
• ❌ High Concurrency: Large volume requests → Use API service
• ❌ Overseas Business: Primarily for domestic → Consider international AI services

📚 Related Resources

Documentation and Tutorials

• Complete Baidu Introduction
• API Service Guide
• Official Help Center

Related Links

• ERNIE Bot Homepage: https://yiyan.baidu.com
• Help Documentation: https://yiyan.baidu.com/help
• App Download: Search “Wenxin Yiyan” in app stores
• Official Announcements: Follow Baidu AI official channels

📝 Update Log

• 2026-01-28: Document verification and optimization
• April 2025: Fully free for all users
• March 2025: Released ERNIE 4.5 multimodal and ERNIE X1 reasoning models
• November 2024: User base reached 430 million
• Continuous Updates: Ongoing feature and UX improvements

Service Provider: Baidu