Baidu's CEO discourages competition and focuses on AI

The podcast episode discusses Robin Lee, the CEO of Baidu, and his message to other entrepreneurs at a conference in Beijing. Lee advises them not to compete with Baidu and instead build apps for Baidu's AI technology. The podcast explains that Baidu had previously struggled to grow its revenues compared to its Chinese tech counterparts Alibaba and Tencent. The discussion highlights Baidu's bet on artificial intelligence, particularly its AI chatbot called Erniebot, as a potential turning point for the company's growth. However, concerns are raised about Lee's leadership and the dysfunction within the company, including the involvement of Lee's wife, Melissa Ma. The podcast examines Baidu's past failures in diversification and the challenges they face in commercializing their AI technology.