China's Baidu hires Microsoft artificial intelligence expert as its new COO

Chinese online search giant Baidu has named former Microsoft global executive vice president Qi Lu as its group president and chief operating officer. Lu, a leading authority in the area of artificial intelligence, will be in charge of products, technology, sales, marketing and operations, effective immediately, according to a Baidu statement issued on Tuesday. "To achieve our goals, especially in artificial intelligence, which is a key strategic focus for the next decade, we will need to continue attracting the best global talent. With Dr. Lu on board, we are confident that our strategy will be executed smoothly and Baidu will become a world-class technology company and global leader in AI," said Robin Li Yanhong, Baidu's chairman and group CEO. Prior to joining Baidu, Lu served as Microsoft's global executive vice president and led one of Microsoft's three business units.