(Yicai Global) Jan. 2 -- Chinese tech giant Baidu, a multinational specializing in online search and other internet-related services, brought in over CNY100 billion (USD14.5 billion) in revenue last year, its Chairman Robin Li said in an open letter today.

"It's not only a milestone marking our accelerating growth and improved services, but a mark of our breakthroughs, innovation and missions accomplished," said the 50-year old founder of the Beijing-based firm, whose share priced closed out 2018 more than a third down over the year at just shy of USD162.2.

2019 will be "a song of ice and fire," he continued, saying AI is now penetrating various sectors at high speed and incubating enormous opportunities for growth and augmentation.

Baidu's combined search and news feed service deepens the company's understanding of user demand, Li said, adding that its apps are personalized using artificial intelligence and retain users by not using advertisements.

Haokan, a short video platform backed by the company, grew from word-of-mouth marketing, and Baidu's Xiaodu series of smart hardware became a best-selling product on JD.Com, Gome.Com and other e-commerce websites at peak sales periods, he added, speaking on the company's 2018 achievements. The firm's autonomous driving technology has also become industry leading, Li said.

Editor: James Boynton