The Create2025 Baidu AI Developer Conference opens in WEDZ on April 25. [Photo/WeChat account: whkfq]
The Create2025 Baidu AI Developer Conference was held in Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone (WEDZ) on April 25.
The conference attracted over 5,000 developers and tech enthusiasts eager to learn about Baidu's latest advancements in artificial intelligence.
Baidu's founder, Robin Li, along with other prominent figures, delivered keynote speeches. Li unveiled several cutting-edge AI models and applications, including the Wenxin Model 4.5 Turbo and the Deep Thinking Model X1 Turbo.
Baidu's presence in Wuhan has been growing since May 2022, when its autonomous driving service, Apollo Go, launched in WEDZ, pioneering fully driverless autonomous driving demonstrations.
WEDZ is focusing on intelligent connected vehicles and integrating the entire AI industry chain from foundational to application layers. The zone hosts a cluster of AI technology companies, including iFlytek and DreamSmart. It has nurtured over 10 companies with annual revenues exceeding 100 million yuan ($13.77 million), creating a virtuous cycle of technological breakthroughs, real-world applications, and industrial upgrades.
The zone boasts a comprehensive testing system with simulation, closed-road, and open-road testing, and it has implemented 28 demonstration scenarios, including "unmanned functional vehicle applications", achieving full-scale commercial operation of driverless vehicles in Central China.
In 2024, the output of the core AI industry in WEDZ surpassed 10 billion yuan, accounting for 20 percent of the city's total AI industry output.
