ERNIE 4.0 API: Baidu's Most Advanced Model — Complete Guide

Pricing verified as of 2026-08-19. DeepSeek changed to peak/off-peak pricing on 2026-08-17.

ERNIE 4.0 (Enhanced Representation through kNowledge Integration) is Baidu's most advanced large language model, integrating deep learning with vast knowledge graph capabilities. As one of China's most widely deployed AI models, ERNIE powers Baidu's search engine, cloud services, and enterprise applications serving millions of users daily.

This guide covers ERNIE 4.0 API access, pricing, code examples, and how it compares with DeepSeek V4 Pro, GLM-5, Kimi K2.5, and GPT-4o.

ERNIE 4.0 Key Features

• Knowledge-enhanced reasoning — Leverages Baidu's massive search knowledge graph
• 128K context window — Handles lengthy documents and conversations
• Strong Chinese NLP — Native understanding of Chinese language and culture
• Enterprise-grade reliability — Powered by Baidu's cloud infrastructure
• Knowledge Base integration — Document retrieval and grounding capabilities

ERNIE 4.0 API Pricing

Python Quick Start

from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
    base_url="https://aiwave.live/v1",
    api_key="***"
)

response = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="ernie-4.0",
    messages=[
        {"role": "system", "content": "You are ERNIE 4.0, Baidu's most advanced AI."},
        {"role": "user", "content": "Explain how ERNIE integrates knowledge graph technology."}
    ]
)
print(response.choices[0].message.content)

ERNIE vs DeepSeek V4 vs GLM-5

listed model routes — including DeepSeek V4 Pro, GLM-5, Kimi K2.5, Qwen3, and ERNIE 4.0 — are available through a single AIWave API key.