On May 9, 2026, Baidu introduced its latest foundational large model, ERNIE 5.1, which leverages cutting-edge "multi-dimensional elastic pre-training" technology. This model not only attains top-tier foundational performance but also does so at a fraction of the cost—approximately 6% of the pre-training expenses typically incurred by similarly scaled models in the industry. It has claimed the top spot domestically and secured the fourth position globally on the LMArena search leaderboard. Demonstrating exceptional prowess, ERNIE 5.1 outperformed DeepSeek-V4-Pro in agent capabilities, matched the creative writing skills of Gemini 3.1 Pro, and approached the reasoning abilities of the world's leading closed-source models in various authoritative tests. Presently, ERNIE 5.1 is accessible on Baidu's Qianfan Model Plaza and the official ERNIE Bot website, inviting enterprise users and developers to explore its capabilities firsthand.