The Chinese search giant lost the star leader of its AI lab last week, but the technology remains an essential long-term focus.
When Andrew Ng, one of the world’s leading thinkers on artificial intelligence, announced he would be stepping down from his position as chief scientist at Chinese Baidu, the company’s stock dropped nearly 3 percent in just a few hours.
It was a reflection not only of Ng’s prominence and fame, but also of the importance investors have placed on the search giant’s focus on AI. The technology has become a key element of the company’s strategy , and Ng’s departure comes at a time when Baidu is determined to double down on its AI efforts.
Baidu has quickly reaffirmed its commitment to AI, naming Wang Haifeng, an expert in natural-language processing, as Ng’s replacement.
CEO Robin Li has recently written numerous opinion pieces in Chinese newspapers about the importance of developing AI expertise. “The disruption in traditional business models, industrial chain, and value chain brought about by artificial intelligence will cause fundamental changes in the global economy,” Li writes in People’s Daily, a government flagship newspaper, in early March.
