Baidu announced the start of mass production of its second-generation Kunlun AI chip, Kunlun II, and also demonstrated industrial applications using Baidu AI Cloud at Baidu World 2021, its annual flagship technology conference. The announcements represent the depth of Baidu's expertise in AI technology and industrial practice, and its efforts to make AI technology more accessible.
The newly upgraded Baidu Brain 7.0 offers greater integration of a wide array of knowledge sources and deep learning, including language comprehension and reasoning, using numerous combined technologies to enable output across language, voice and visual formats. Working together with Baidu Brain 7.0's software functionalities is the new Kunlun II AI Chip, providing an improved hardware foundation for a new generation of AI applications. Independently developed by Baidu, Kunlun II offers 2-3 times more processing power than the previous generation, using the 7nm process and equipped with Baidu's own second-generation XPU architecture, the company said.
The chip can be applied in multiple scenarios, including cloud, terminal, and edge, able to empower high-performance computer clusters, biocomputing and intelligent transportation and autonomous driving.
Specifically optimised for AI technologies such as voice, natural language processing and images, the new Kunlun chip supports deep learning frameworks such as Baidu's open source platform PaddlePaddle. This diverse range of uses gives the second-generation chip a powerful potential role in powering AI applications ranging from internet core algorithms to smart cities and smart industry, Baidu said.
To date, more than 3.6 million developers around the world developed 400,000 AI models through PaddlePaddle, serving over 130,000 enterprises and institutions across a range of fields and industries. Applications helped water management systems run more efficiently, helped improve quality control in manufacturing, and even helped athletes achieve greater precision in their training.
As part of Baidu's efforts to increase the accessibility of AI technology, the company also announced the launch of Songguo Academy at Baidu World 2021. Providing a full set of educational resources, from long-term courses of study and training seminars to competitions, Songguo Academy draws on support from the technology industry and academia to build a platform for training a new generation of AI professionals.
