Sou Hu Cai Jing·2025-11-21 00:50Core Insights - Baidu reported a significant loss in Q3, with revenue of 31.2 billion RMB, a year-on-year decline of 7%, marking the largest quarterly drop in its history, and a net loss of 11.232 billion RMB [2][3] - The company's online marketing revenue, considered its "cash cow," fell sharply by 18%, indicating a continued decline in its core business [1][3][4] - Despite the losses, Baidu is heavily investing in AI, with over 100 billion RMB allocated since the launch of its AI product in March 2023, and plans to increase investment while improving capital efficiency [1][15][16] Financial Performance - Total revenue for Q3 was 31.2 billion RMB, down 7% year-on-year and 5% quarter-on-quarter [3][4] - The operating loss was 5.925 billion RMB, with a significant asset impairment loss of 16.2 billion RMB impacting overall performance [3][4] - If excluding the impairment, the adjusted net profit would have been 3.8 billion RMB, with an operating profit of 2.2 billion RMB [4] User Engagement and Market Position - Baidu's monthly active users decreased to 708 million in September, down from 735 million in June, indicating a loss of user engagement [6][8] - The daily search volume has plummeted by 70% to 300 million searches, attributed to competition from short video platforms and a shift in user behavior [9][20] - Baidu's search advertising business is experiencing structural decline, with its monthly active users trailing behind competitors like WeChat and Douyin [8][20] AI Strategy and Future Outlook - Baidu aims to pivot towards AI, with AI-related revenue reaching nearly 10 billion RMB in Q3, accounting for about 40% of total revenue [11][14] - The company is focusing on AI cloud services, which saw a 33% year-on-year growth, and AI-native marketing services, which grew by 262% [12][14] - CEO Li Yanhong emphasized the need for Baidu to transform its search capabilities using AI, as traditional advertising models are becoming less effective [18][21] Competitive Landscape - Baidu's AI advantages are diminishing compared to competitors like Google, Tencent, and Alibaba, which are integrating AI across their platforms more effectively [20] - Tencent and Alibaba reported significant revenue growth, with Tencent's Q3 revenue at 192.9 billion RMB and Alibaba's at 280.15 billion RMB, showcasing their strong market positions [20] - Baidu's transition to AI is critical, as its traditional advertising business continues to decline amid fierce competition from other internet platforms [21]