Baidu unveiled the Ernie X1.1: a “deep thinking” model that bypasses the DeepSeek R1
By ForGeeks
China’s Baidu has announced an updated AI model Ernie X1.1, positioning it as a major step up from the previous Ernie X1 version. The company claims that the new product is not only vastly improved, but also outperforms competitors including the DeepSeek R1.
What’s new in the Ernie X1.1
Baidu CTO Wang Haifeng introduced Ernie X1.1 as a model built on top of Ernie 4.5 and utilizing a hybrid reinforcement learning framework. According to the developers, this allowed multiple training methods to be combined for more «intelligent» model behavior.
- 34.8% more accurate in handling facts
- 12.5% better at following instructions
- is 9.6% more efficient at handling complex tasks;
Compared to competitors
Baidu has gone beyond a simple comparison with its own previous model. The company claims that Ernie X1.1 beats the DeepSeek R1-0528 in a number of tests. Moreover, Baidu claimed comparable performance levels to industry flagships such as the GPT-5 and Google Gemini 2.5 Pro in select scenarios.
Where the new model is available
The Ernie X1.1 can be tried via the Ernie Bot website, as well as on the Wenxiaoyan app. For businesses and developers, the model is deployed on the Qianfan AI Cloud cloud platform.
Context: Baidu ecosystem and PaddlePaddle 3.2
The launch of Ernie X1.1 coincided with an update to the company’s proprietary deep learning platform PaddlePaddle to version 3.2. The update optimized performance with large models and increased compatibility with different types of hardware.
According to the company, the Baidu AI ecosystem now includes more than 23 million developers and serves760,000 companies, making it one of the largest in the world, especially in China.
According to the company, the Baidu AI ecosystem is one of the largest in the world, especially in China.
Global AI Race
Baidu’s announcements fit into a larger context: global competition in artificial intelligence is rapidly intensifying. Chinese companies are no longer trying to catch up, but are openly challenging the market leaders.
Baidu’s announcement puts it in a broader context: global competition in AI is rapidly intensifying.
The only question is whether independent tests will confirm that the Ernie X1.1 is comparable to the GPT-5 and Gemini 2.5 Pro. But one thing is clear: Baidu is determined to cement its status as not just a Chinese player, but a global player in the artificial intelligence industry.
