Baidu Unveils Comate AI IDE with Multimodal Input and Multi-Agent Coding Collaboration

June 24, 2025

Details

  • Baidu introduced the Comate AI IDE on June 24, 2025, at Baidu AI Day, opening it up for public preview to external developers.
  • Comate is positioned as the first IDE to combine multimodal inputs—such as text, voice, images, and diagrams—with a swarm of specialized AI agents that plan, write, test, and document code collaboratively.
  • Powered by Baidu’s ERNIE Code large model, it integrates directly with the Qianfan cloud platform for scalable deployments, including on-premise and hybrid options.
  • Key features include whole-file autocompletion, conversational code refactoring, automated unit-test creation, inline documentation, and "MCP" support for orchestrating multi-component projects.
  • Baidu states that 43 percent of its internal production code is now generated using Comate, reducing development times by about one-third on key services.
  • Comate is available as a standalone desktop app and as extensions for VS Code and JetBrains IDEs, offers both Mandarin and English interfaces, and enterprise pricing and SDK details will be announced in Q3 2025.

Impact

Comate places Baidu in direct competition with GitHub Copilot, Google Gemini Code Assist, and Cognition’s Devin by embedding multi-agent coding into the core IDE experience. Its domestic focus and on-shore data handling may boost adoption in China amid tech export tensions, providing an alternative to international tools. As large-scale use cuts routine coding, the demand for advanced review and architectural skills is likely to increase within the next two years.

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