Baidu

The company operates a multi‑sided internet and AI platform. On the consumer side, it offers free access to search, maps, encyclopaedia, forums, video and other services to aggregate user attention and data. On the business side, it monetises this attention primarily by selling performance and brand advertising, including paid search listings and display or feed ads, to advertisers. It further creates value by commercialising its AI and cloud infrastructure as services (including model APIs and storage) and by licensing autonomous driving technology and mobility solutions to automotive and transport partners. The model blends an advertising‑funded media platform, cloud/AI infrastructure services and B2B technology licensing and operations.

Baidu is a large Chinese internet and AI company best known for operating China’s dominant web search engine and a portfolio of consumer online services including maps, encyclopaedia, cloud storage, forums and video. It also develops AI models and platforms, such as a large‑language‑model chatbot and an autonomous driving stack, and offers related cloud and developer services. The company generates most of its revenue by selling online marketing services and advertising inventory across its search and content properties to businesses. Additional revenue comes from cloud and AI platform usage, enterprise solutions for intelligent driving and mobility, and paid upgrades or subscriptions within its consumer and enterprise cloud products. Its direct paying customers are advertisers, enterprises, developers, mobility operators and some end‑users of storage and cloud services.