Visiting Baidu’s AI Lab today. Not surprisingly, they develop applications for deep learning throughout the company.
I opened with our 20-year connection to the company. From the book Silicon Dragon, describing the company’s founding:
“The Baidu saga began in Silicon Valley in 1997, when Baidu co-founder Eric Xu and Li were introduced by Li’s wife, Melissa… Xu filmed a documentary called “A Journey to Silicon Valley,” which later aired on Chinese television. Xu interviewed legends such as Cisco Systems CEO John Chambers and venture capitalist Steve Jurvetson of Draper Fisher Jurvetson… After watching Xu’s documentary, Li was energized. He asked Xu to lunch the next day. At a Chinese restaurant in Sunnyvale, California, Li pitched Xu to become his partner.
They named the startup Baidu, which translates as “seek for truth,” a name derived from an ancient Song Dynasty poem.
Baidu failed with three knockoffs of successful U.S. Internet business before finally turning a profit with a fourth.”
— p.10. of http://www.amazon.com/Silicon-Dragon-China-Winning-Tech/dp/0071494472/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1337100635&sr=1-1″
We were investors during that exploration period, becoming the largest shareholder in Baidu, back then and through the IPO.
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