Reuters·2026-02-26 09:04Core Viewpoint - Baidu exceeded quarterly revenue expectations, driven by strong growth in its cloud business, which helped mitigate the decline in its advertising sector [1] Group 1: Financial Performance - Baidu reported total revenue of 32.74 billion yuan for the fourth quarter, surpassing analysts' average estimate of 32.62 billion yuan [1] - Revenue from Baidu's AI-powered business, including cloud infrastructure, AI applications, and robotaxi division, reached 11 billion yuan ($1.61 billion), accounting for 43% of the company's overall revenue [1] Group 2: Business Segments - The cloud business has shown significant growth, providing a buffer against the ongoing challenges faced by the advertising unit, which is Baidu's primary revenue source [1] - The advertising business has struggled due to weak consumer demand and a prolonged crisis in the property sector, impacting overall advertiser spending in China [1] Group 3: Industry Context - Baidu, along with other major tech companies in China, has heavily invested in artificial intelligence capabilities to meet the increasing demand from enterprises adopting AI for operational efficiency [1]