Ernie Bot
Baidu's AI assistant — best Chinese-language model with integrated search and knowledge.
Quick Specs
| Developer | Baidu |
| Headquarters | Beijing, China |
| Category | Writing & Chat |
| Pricing | Freemium |
| Free Tier | Free (Chinese phone number required) |
| Auth Method | Chinese phone number required |
| API Available | ✅ Yes |
| Format | Web, mobile app, API |
| China Access | ✅ Works in China |
| Last checked | July 2026 |
What Is Ernie Bot?
Ernie Bot (文心一言, Wenxin Yiyan) is Baidu's large language model and the most widely used AI assistant in China behind ByteDance's Doubao. Built on the ERNIE (Enhanced Representation through kNowledge IntEgration) model architecture, it incorporates Baidu's search index and knowledge graph, giving it strong factual accuracy for Chinese-language queries.
Ernie Bot is free to use with a Chinese phone number for registration. It handles Mandarin Chinese at native quality — nuances, idioms, and cultural references that international models like ChatGPT and Claude handle imperfectly. For professionals and businesses operating in China, Ernie Bot is the standard recommendation for Chinese-language AI work.
The API is available for developers through Baidu's Qianfan (千帆) cloud platform. Enterprise customers can access advanced versions of the ERNIE model with higher capability and longer context windows.
Key Features
Ernie Bot Pricing (2026)
Free
Free- ✓ ERNIE 3.5 model
- ✓ Chinese phone required
- ✓ Web and mobile access
Best for: Chinese-speaking users
Pro
~¥60/mo- ✓ ERNIE 4.0 (latest model)
- ✓ Priority access
- ✓ Higher limits
Best for: Power users, professionals
API (Qianfan)
Pay per token- ✓ Developer API
- ✓ Multiple model versions
- ✓ Enterprise SLA
Best for: Businesses and developers
Ernie Bot: Pros & Cons
+ Pros
- ✓Native Chinese-language quality
- ✓Integrated with Baidu search
- ✓Works in China (no VPN needed)
- ✓Free tier available
- ✓Strong factual knowledge for Chinese topics
− Cons
- ✗Requires Chinese phone number
- ✗Limited to users comfortable with Chinese interface
- ✗International content quality behind ChatGPT/Claude
- ✗Content moderation limits some topics
Best Use Cases for Ernie Bot
Chinese-language content
Writing, translation, and communication in Mandarin Chinese at native quality.
China market research
Research Chinese topics, regulations, and market data using Baidu's integrated search.
Business in China
Draft Chinese-language business communications, contracts, and documents accurately.
How to Get Started with Ernie Bot
- 1
Go to yiyan.baidu.com
- 2
Register with a Chinese phone number for verification
- 3
Complete the account setup
- 4
Begin chatting in Chinese or use the API via Qianfan platform
✅ Works in China: Ernie Bot in China
Ernie Bot is accessible from mainland China without a VPN.