Baidu’s Ernie Bot Joins Iflytek’s Spark On Apple’s China App Store

Ernie Bot, developed by Beijing Baidu Netcom Science & Technology Co, has become the second local ChatGPT alternative developed by a local Big Tech company to get listed on Apple’s mainland App Store after the debut of iFlytek’s Spark in June. Despite being listed in the domestic iOS store’s productivity apps category, the AI chatbot is still on trial mode as the Chinese government has not allowed ChatGPT and other generative AI services to be made available to the general public. Internet regulator the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) has yet to issue a licence for any generative AI product in the country.