The on-stage dialogue
During the Baidu World 2026 event, Baidu founder Li Yanhong delivered a speech and held an on-stage dialogue with Yang Yuanqing, chairman and CEO of Lenovo. According to IT Home, Li asked Yang how much he had been traveling lately, observing that at the current stage artificial intelligence cannot yet replace a CEO's travel. Yang replied that he travels a great deal, having recently returned from a tour across Europe and the United States, and pointed to the emotional bond between people as an element that remains central.
The exchange, as reported by the source, contains no data on travel volumes or costs: these are statements by the two executives, not verified metrics. The point raised concerns instead the perceived limitation of AI tools in business relations and in managing relationships with customers and analysts.
Lenovo's fifth season
Yang framed Lenovo's moment in a long-term perspective: since 2024 the company has launched what he called its fifth decade and fifth business initiative, centered on the AI era. According to IT Home, the CEO explained that Lenovo is using artificial intelligence to transform its entire business, with its three main business areas—smart devices, smart infrastructure, and smart solutions and services—set to be renewed by AI.
Yang also stated that, with the arrival of AI, the PC is assuming greater importance than in the past. This is a statement by the executive reported by the source, not a market data point: the material does not specify which indicators or forecasts support this assessment, nor does it offer figures on sales or market share.
What remains to be verified
The available material does not quantify Lenovo's AI investments, does not detail the timing or expected results of the transformation of the three business lines, and does not clarify how the increased importance of the PC translates into concrete strategies. It also does not indicate any agreements between Baidu and Lenovo beyond the public dialogue, nor any measurable effects on their respective businesses. The two managers' statements should therefore be read as positions declared in an event context, pending documentary confirmation or industry data.
