China's largest search engine, with 70% of the search market, has been facing deeply negative perceptions and increased competition for advertising from the likes of Tencent's WeChat, China's all-in-one app, and newer arrivals like Bytedance, with its news and short video apps. Nevertheless, Baidu on Feb. 21 beat expectations on fourth-quarter revenues, which came in at $3.96 billion, even as it posted a 50% drop in net profit for the quarter. It recorded $14.88 billion in revenues for the year and $4 billion in net profit, and reported strong growth in users for its mobile app and voice-recognition software. Baidu's heavily reliant on ad earnings for the moment--but it's trying to change that. It has set high goals for developing artificial intelligence, from self-driving cars to personal assistants, in the hopes that it will dominate the field in China and beyond.

Artificial intelligence dealmaking has exploded recently, leaping to a new quarterly record of over 140 deals in Q1'16. Corporates and their venture capital groups are among the most active investors in this category (tech corporates have also been active acquirers in the category).

Artificial intelligence dealmaking has exploded recently, leaping to a new quarterly record of over 140 deals in Q1'16. Corporates and their venture capital groups are among the most active investors in this category (tech corporates have also been active acquirers in the category). Our artificial intelligence category includes companies applying AI solutions to verticals like healthcare, advertising, and finance as well as those developing general-purpose AI tech.