Beijing-based Web services company Baidu is reportedly building the world’s “largest and most powerful computer cluster” in order to improve image recognition in search. That’s according to Bloomberg.
The cluster will have about 100 billion digitally simulated neural connections and will be 100 times more powerful than Google’s deep learning research project, Google Brain.
Baidu’s cluster will be completed in about six months, Baidu chief scientist Andrew Ng told Bloomberg.
Ng also happens to be the founder of the Google Brain project.
According to Bloomberg, Baidu chief executive Robin Li said that within five years, voice and image searches will surpass text queries, spurred by mobile users seeking easier access to information. In addition, Li said 10 percent of Baidu search queries today are done by voice, Bloomberg reports.
And, in order to meet this growing need as search changes, Ng told Bloomberg better image recognition will require more computing power.