Baidu, one of China’s leading technology companies, has recently announced that its Metaverse Operations Chief, Li Mingyuan, has departed from the company. This news comes as Baidu shifts its focus towards artificial intelligence (AI) and away from its virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) initiatives.
The Metaverse Operations Chief role was created in 2019 to oversee Baidu’s efforts in developing a metaverse, a virtual world where users can interact with each other and digital objects in a shared space. However, Baidu’s metaverse project has not gained as much traction as the company had hoped, and it has struggled to compete with other tech giants such as Tencent and Alibaba.
Baidu’s decision to shift its focus towards AI is not surprising, as the company has been investing heavily in this area for several years. In 2018, Baidu launched its Apollo platform, which provides an open-source software and hardware platform for autonomous vehicles. The company has also been working on developing AI-powered voice assistants and natural language processing technologies.
The departure of Li Mingyuan is seen as a sign that Baidu is scaling back its efforts in the metaverse space. However, the company has not completely abandoned its VR and AR initiatives. Baidu is still developing its DuSee AR platform, which allows users to overlay digital information onto the real world using their smartphones.
Baidu’s shift towards AI is part of a broader trend in the tech industry. Many companies are investing heavily in AI technologies, as they believe that these technologies will be key to driving innovation and growth in the future. AI has the potential to transform many industries, from healthcare to finance to transportation.
In addition to its AI initiatives, Baidu is also exploring the potential of non-fungible tokens (NFTs). NFTs are digital assets that are unique and cannot be replicated. They have become increasingly popular in recent years, particularly in the art world, where they are being used to sell digital art.
Baidu’s NFT platform, called NFTgators, allows users to buy and sell NFTs. The platform has already attracted a number of high-profile artists, including the Chinese painter and calligrapher Qi Baishi.
In conclusion, Baidu’s decision to shift its focus towards AI and away from the metaverse is a sign of the company’s strategic priorities. While the departure of Li Mingyuan may be seen as a setback for Baidu’s metaverse ambitions, the company is still investing in VR and AR technologies. Additionally, Baidu’s exploration of NFTs shows that the company is willing to explore new technologies and business models to drive growth and innovation.
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- Source: https://zephyrnet.com/baidus-head-of-metaverse-operations-leaves-as-company-zooms-in-on-ai-nftgators/