Wang Xiaochuan: Beyond Mingyi Search, We've Done Much More in Healthcare
On May 9, following the high-profile launch of Sogou Mingyi (Sogou Clear Medicine), Sogou CEO Wang Xiaochuan stated, “This is Sogou Search’s response in the aftermath of the Wei Zexi incident. Netizens, filled with anger and disappointment toward another search company, have been looking to Sogou to say something and take action. Therefore, today Sogou Search has released a new product feature: Sogou Mingyi.”
As a technology-driven company, Sogou adheres to the principles of “do no evil” and “no grandstanding.” The launch of Sogou Mingyi (Sogou Doctor) marks the search engine’s return to its original mission: leveraging technology to provide users with valuable content. In the aftermath of the Wei Zexi incident, some search companies announced the direct discontinuation of paid medical promotion services to prevent harm caused by false medical information. However, even after eliminating commercial promotions, the quality of organic search results remains uneven. Isolationism is not a fundamental solution to the problem.
The two most significant differences between Sogou Mingyi and Baidu are that it has not only eliminated a profit-driven business model, returning to technology-oriented content creation, but also partnered with authoritative and well-known platforms such as DXY and Zhihu, thereby ensuring the authenticity and reliability of search results for users.
Vertical search, although not pioneered by Wang Xiaochuan, was redefined under his leadership. Compared with Baidu’s all-encompassing, broad-based search, vertical search offers higher content quality and enables users to obtain valid information more quickly. Although it targets a relatively smaller user base, it is more precise. While WeChat and Zhihu have consistently advocated for decentralization, search remains the most effective way for users to access content based on their usage preferences. Through collaborations with WeChat and Zhihu, Sogou has established its own industry model, thereby positioning search as a gateway for users to discover specialized, in-depth information.
With questions about “Sogou Mingyi” and the development of search, VCBeat interviewed Sogou CEO Wang Xiaochuan:
What role do you believe search engines will play in the future of internet healthcare, or in what form will they exist?
Wang Xiaochuan: Medical search holds a unique position within the broader search landscape, as it is closely tied to users’ lives and health. Faced with information that is difficult to verify, search engines should assume the responsibility of helping users filter content. Only by making authentic and authoritative medical information readily accessible can we truly benefit users. This was the original intention behind the launch of Sogou Mingyi.
I believe that for the healthcare industry, search engines should not only aggregate information but also provide filtering capabilities.
Will Sogou Mingyi and DXY engage in deeper collaboration in the future, going beyond the current display of search results?
Wang Xiaochuan: We have plans in this area. In addition to existing data sources such as DXY, we are also expanding the information sources for Sogou Mingyi and will incorporate medical information into our knowledge graph. As this is the initial launch version of the product, there are still some shortcomings. We will continue to make improvements and refine the product’s features to help alleviate users’ anxiety when dealing with medical information.
What pitfalls do you think should be avoided in the process of search engine innovation?
Wang Xiaochuan: Search engines should avoid merely indexing information on the internet, as simple indexing may seem to offer liability protection but fails to help users find the information they need.
Search engine companies should be technology-driven. In their development, they must avoid unethical practices and superficial displays, steer clear of the quagmire of flawed business models, genuinely create products that meet user needs, provide accurate answers and services, and return to their core responsibilities.
Besides its search business, what are Sogou’s future plans for its internet healthcare layout?
Wang Xiaochuan: In the future, we hope to leverage Sogou’s advancements in artificial intelligence to enable machines to better understand humans, thereby delivering superior services to users in the healthcare sector.
Sogou’s foray into the healthcare sector began last year. In August 2015, Sogou launched a mobile health product called “TCM Prescription Identifier,” which uses photo-based prescription verification as its entry point. Leveraging Sogou’s extensive expertise in image recognition and search technology, along with its robust big data processing capabilities, the tool helps users decipher obscure and complex traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescriptions.
“TCM Prescription Recognition” Photo-Based Prescription Identification Feature
In addition to recognizing traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions, Sogou Search has newly introduced medical and health services in its mobile version 3.0. Through this service, users can use their smartphones to look up diseases, find doctors, register for appointments, and obtain referrals. Its partners are Haodf.com and Dingdang Kuaiyao, which is under Renhe Pharmacy. Haodf.com primarily provides online medical consultations and offline referral services, while Dingdang Kuaiyao meets users’ needs for purchasing medications online.
Based on the above information, we summarize several key words regarding Sogou Search's medical layout:
Vertical Search
Information Filter
Artificial Intelligence
Comprehensive Healthcare Services
In just one year, Sogou has built a relatively comprehensive internet healthcare system through multi-party collaborations, while leveraging its expertise in search to focus on industry entry points. Although Sogou Search’s healthcare initiatives have been low-key, they have quietly established a self-contained ecosystem. Notably, rather than hastily constructing business models driven solely by profit, Sogou has taken a step-by-step approach, truly using technology to guide the industry and redefining search in the era of internet healthcare from the perspective of addressing user needs.
If this is viewed as a sense of mission, Sogou may have subconsciously positioned itself as a superhero within the industry. However, the medical search sector likely requires not just one, but more hero figures akin to the Avengers, guarding something far above all else—life.