In 2017, Baidu, China’s biggest search engine increased its R&D spending to $464m, 28 per cent more than it had spent a year earlier. Baidu, which covered about 95% of China’s population, had been betting big on bringing about a global revolution in Artificial Intelligence (AI) through some of its prestigious projects like Apollo, its autonomous driving program and DuerOS, an open platform to support applications in Artificial Intelligence (AI).

With a share of over 44.5% of the mobile search market and 80.8% of the internet search market in China, Baidu had access to colossal amounts of demographic data. The company, which had over 70 million daily active mobile search users, 700 million internet users, and 6 billion search queries per day, had gathered massive amounts of data backstage, which it strategically channelized into the big data segment

Baidu’s big data vision was driven by three core strategic functions which were classified into three functional components – Open Cloud, Data Factory, and Baidu Brain.

It built three state-of-the-art research laboratories in Silicon Valley. In 2013, it built Deep Learning Institute with its focus on certain areas – image recognition, machine learning, robotics, human-computer interaction, 3D vision, and heterogeneous computing. Baidu also established the Silicon Valley Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and the Beijing Big Data Lab. The laboratories were driven by the mission of developing AI technologies which would impact at least 100 million people. The infrastructure was equipped with a powerful combination of deep learning, large datasets, and high performance computing.

The three clusters of Baidu’s big data vision– Tiansuan, Tianxiang, and Tiangong. Tiansuan, in principle, integrated large datasets with AI. Tianxiang was a multimedia platform that enhanced user experiences in online interactions. Tiangong, was the Internet-of-Things (IoT). It integrated its cloud applications with internet connected devices, and offered a range of IoT services for users in a cost-effective way.

In September 2017, Baidu launched a $1.52 billion autonomous driving fund called ‘Apollo Fund’ to support and accelerate 100 Autonomous driving projects, over the next three years. Robin Li the co-founder of Baidu expected to see mass production of driverless cars by 2021.

Baidu had partnered with more than 130 enterprises to roll out the DuerOS applications globally. The technology was already integrated into devices like smartphones, televisions, and home appliances.

Baidu was also selected as a part of the much-coveted Chinese government’s 2030 vision program. Baidu was selected as one of the critical players towards the national mission looked immensely encouraging and promising for the company. Baidu’s big data initiatives were not confined to business and commercial utilities alone. Many of its applications demonstrated and promised to make an impact on several sensitive social and economic issues like controlling poverty, diseases, stampedes etc.

Over a period of time, Baidu emerged as one of the top global cloud-based technology companies, which had been foraying at a brisk pace into applications of high-end technology viz. big data analytics, AI, and IoT. Its bold and ambitious initiatives like Apollo and cutting edge technology platforms like DuerOS offered Baidu a huge opportunity to dominate the AI segment on both the domestic and global fronts. .

IT and Systems Case Studies | Case Study in Management, Operations, Strategies, IT and Systems, Case Studies

IT and Systems Case Studies Case Studies | Case Study in Management, Operations, Strategies, IT and Systems, Case Studies

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Issues

The case is structured to achieve the following teaching objectives:

	Analyze Cloud Technology as a strategy.
	Understand and appraise the Big Data Framework.
	Evaluate big data as a strategy.

Contents

INTRODUCTION

ABOUT BAIDU

THE BIG DATA ECOSYSTEM

RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE

DATA ANALYTICS

APPLYING BIG DATA

APOLLO – AUTONOMOUS DRIVING SYSTEMS

MACHINE LEARNING

THE NATIONAL MISSION

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACT

THE ROAD AHEAD

EXHIBITS

Keywords

Baidu,Big Data,Artificial Intelligence,Apollo Autonomous Driving Platform,Big data Framework,Open Cloud,Big data assets,Big data management,Cloud application,Chinese global competitors,Big data analytics,Cloud technologies,Technology as a Strategy,Due diligence framework,Structuring cloud programs

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