Baidu Announces Smart Words Prediction Feature on Facemoji Keyboard App

New Feature Increases Predictive Text Accuracy to 91.6%

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Baidu, Inc. (Nasdaq: BIDU) today announced a new Smart Words Prediction feature on its Facemoji Keyboard app, which has been found to increase prediction accuracy for frequently used phrases from 53.2% to 91.6% in a test scenario.

The Smart Words Prediction feature uses a cloud-based 5-gram language model that references up to four words that a user inputs to intelligently recommend words and phrases based on context. Given that users are more likely to input phrases as opposed to single words, Facemoji Keyboard utilizes machine learning methods for phrase mining to intelligently suggest the next part of a common phrase. For example, when a user types in “Nice to,” the Smart Words Prediction feature will suggest “see you” to complete the sentence. By leveraging cloud technology, Facemoji Keyboard can also suggest trending topics and phrases in real time based on what a user has typed.

In addition to Smart Words Prediction, Facemoji Keyboard also offers the following cutting-edge features to its users leveraging Baidu’s technology:

• Smart Voice-to-text Transcription: This feature utilizes an advanced neural network algorithm for accurate, true-to-life punctuation when users send voice-to-text messages on Facemoji Keyboard. It currently supports English, Japanese, Hindi and Hinglish, a mix of Hindi and English. Baidu’s advanced neural network algorithm is capable of simulating the human brain and its learning patterns. Using Baidu’s streaming multi-layer truncated attention model (SMLTA) for speech recognition, Facemoji Keyboard is not only able to learn the correct samples, but can also learn error-prone samples in similar scenarios, further enhancing the discriminatory ability of the model.
• Smart Emoji Prediction: This feature employs Baidu’s Retrieval Strategy algorithm, which was recently published on Cornell University’s arXiv.org research archive, as well as the language representation model BERT and Natural Language Understanding (NLU), to calculate the semantic meaning of whole sentences instead of single words. With this information, Facemoji Keyboard then determines which combination of emoji are the best choice for a given sentence.

“Facemoji’s technology makes hands-free texting super easy — with absolutely no chance of embarrassing typos or faux pas,” said Mr. Jiang Feng, director of Baidu’s Global Business Unit. “We now have unparalleled word and emoji prediction, and the most accurate voice-to-text in the industry.”

The latest version of Facemoji Keyboard for Android is available on the Google Play Store. Follow Facemoji Keyboard on Instagram at www.instagram.com/FacemojiKeyboard or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FacemojiKeyboard.

About Facemoji Keyboard

Facemoji Keyboard is an emoji-centric keyboard app featuring Baidu’s speech recognition technology. It includes an emoji prediction feature and a wide variety of stickers and customizable keyboards. Facemoji Keyboard’s goal is to help people around the world express themselves in new ways with fun, creative emoji.

About Baidu

Baidu, Inc. is the leading Chinese language Internet search provider. Baidu aims to make the complicated world simpler through technology. Baidu’s ADSs trade on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “BIDU.” Currently, ten ADSs represent one Class A ordinary share.