Baidu, a Chinese technology company best known for its search engine, also operates cloud, maps, and other internet-based services.
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Beijing — Baidu A spokesperson for the Chinese tech company said it plans to give users of its major smartphone apps direct access to its wildly popular artificial intelligence tool, OpenClaw.
Starting later Friday, users who opt in will be able to send messages to AI agents through Baidu’s main search app to complete tasks such as scheduling, organizing files, and writing code.
AI agents such as OpenClaw have recently surged in popularity because they can automate tasks such as managing email and using online services.
Until now, the Austrian-developed open-source AI agent could only be accessed through chat apps like WhatsApp and Telegram. Chinese companies such as Alibaba, Tencent, and Baidu already allow users to run OpenClaw on their cloud systems.
Baidu claims its search app has 700 million monthly active users. The company is also extending OpenClaw’s capabilities to its e-commerce business and other services.
The development comes just days before China’s Lunar New Year holiday, as China’s internet technology giants race to attract new users and monetize their AI investments.
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alibaba The company also integrated its AI chatbot Qwen with e-commerce platforms such as Taobao and travel site Fliggy, and claimed to have received more than 120 million consumer orders through the app in the six days ending February 11.
Qwen users can compare personalized product recommendations before completing their Alipay payment. All can be done within the chatbot. Previously, AI tools could suggest products based on prompts, but shoppers had to leave the app and navigate multiple platforms to complete the transaction.
Despite the growing interest in AI agents such as OpenClaw, cybersecurity companies such as CrowdStrike are warning the public about giving OpenClaw unfettered access to enterprise systems.
