Baidu chief reiterates commitment to AI strategy after abrupt exit of chief operating officer
Baidu founder Robin Li Yanhong tells staff that company’s AI ambitions remain unchanged with impending departure of chief operating officer Lu Qi
Baidu’s billionaire founder Robin Li Yanhong held a town hall in Beijing on Monday in which he told those present that he remained confident in the company’s prospects and that the strategy to transform itself into an artificial intelligence (AI) company remains unchanged with the impending departure of chief operating officer Lu Qi, according to people with knowledge of the meeting.
Lu was present at the meeting and said he is leaving the company for personal and family reasons, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing the company’s internal matters. Baidu declined to verify what was said at the meeting.
Li, chairman and chief executive of China’s dominant search engine operator, sought to address concerns after news on Friday that Lu would be stepping down, in another high-profile departure for Baidu, which is seeking to transform itself into a leader in AI.
On Friday, the Nasdaq-listed company shocked China’s tech universe by announcing the departure of Lu, a former Microsoft executive who was hired about 18 months ago to steer the company’s transformation into an AI-driven powerhouse. Baidu said Lu’s departure was due to “personal and family reasons” and that he would remain as vice chairman at the firm.
Lu’s family is understood to have remained in the US throughout his tenure, and never relocated to China. Beijing’s notorious air pollution may even have contributed to Lu’s decision to leave, as the executive was seen wearing face masks to Baidu meetings whenever the reading for the most dangerous PM2.5 particulate climbed above 50. In the year 2017, only 66 days in Beijing that had PM 2.5 below 50.