Beijing: Chinese technology giant Baidu Inc is making a significant investment in digital employees powered by artificial intelligence agents, spurred by rapid advancements in AI technology and the development of new algorithms, models, and applications.
According to Emirates News Agency, industry experts noted that as AI is increasingly used to understand people’s needs and address problems, digital workforces are emerging as a core component for transforming organizational structures and enhancing operational efficiency. Ruan Yu, vice-president of Baidu, emphasized that the capabilities of large language models are advancing rapidly, leading to a shift from human-machine collaboration to AI agent forms.
AI agents are becoming more prevalent in daily work, with digital employees participating across various enterprise operations. They bring revolutionary changes to organizational productivity, Ruan stated. These agents have garnered global attention and experienced significant growth since the beginning of the year. Unlike traditional chatbots, AI agents autonomously execute complex tasks, providing concrete results in diverse industries.
A report by Beijing-based market research firm EO Intelligence highlights that the AI agent market in China reached 44.2 billion yuan ($6.2 billion) in 2024, with expectations to surpass 1 trillion yuan within five years. Baidu AI Cloud has launched its first batch of AI-powered digital employees, covering roles such as marketing managers, car salespersons, and product managers. These digital employees integrate large language models and industry expertise to handle complex tasks and integrate into specific business processes.
Baidu plans to expand its digital workforce across fields such as education, finance, and consumer goods, collaborating with clients to develop specialized roles like bank marketing specialists and university admission consultants. Global consultancy Gartner projects that AI agents will augment or automate 50 percent of business decisions by 2027, enhancing decision-making processes through complex analysis and data retrieval.
Agentic AI is expected to transform service interactions, with both customers and organizations utilizing the technology to automate interactions, reshaping the relationship between service teams and customers.