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Pocket-size AI: Powerful phones star at China show
🇭🇰 Hong Kong /Technology

Pocket-size AI: Powerful phones star at China show

From Hong Kong Free Press · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Tech companies are developing advanced smartphones with AI capabilities that can perform tasks like ordering food and composing messages via voice command.
  • Several companies showcased 'agentic' phones at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, signaling a potential shift in smartphone technology.
  • Challenges remain, including app developers restricting AI agent access to their platforms, raising concerns about control and user data.

The race is on among tech firms to introduce sophisticated smartphones powered by artificial intelligence, capable of executing a wide range of tasks from ordering meals to drafting messages based on simple voice commands. This push towards 'agentic' phones was prominently featured at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai.

A new era of AI agent smartphones begins.

— NubiaNubia's statement announcing their new AI-powered smartphone.

Smartphone maker Nubia unveiled its NaviX Ultra, a device running on Doubao, a popular AI chatbot tool from ByteDance, the creator of TikTok. Nubia proclaimed, "A new era of AI agent smartphones begins." While a limited prototype of the "Doubao Phone" sold out quickly in December, its ability to perform tasks across different apps was soon curtailed. Major tech giants like Alibaba, Tencent, and JD.com restricted the AI assistant's access to their platforms, effectively disabling its advanced functions, particularly concerning payments.

Kiranjeet Kaur, associate research director at IDC, noted that gaining broad access to third-party apps is a critical hurdle for AI agent devices. "Platforms want to keep direct contact with their users, otherwise 'they lose control to another party'," she explained. Kaur added that while "agenting is everyone's dream," the technology is not yet fully mature, with AI agent performance often being inconsistent.

Platforms want to keep direct contact with their users, otherwise “they lose control to another party”.

— Kiranjeet KaurExplanation of why app developers are hesitant to grant broad access to AI agents.

In response to these limitations, the NaviX Ultra reportedly aims to collaborate with apps rather than force access. Honor also presented an AI system for its "Robot Phone," featuring an interactive camera and gesture recognition. This device, expected later this year, will embed an AI agent co-developed with Alibaba. Shanghai-based AI startup StepFun introduced its "AI agent-native smartphone," the STEPX Neo, and announced partnerships with major Chinese platforms like Alipay and Didi.

Agenting is everyone’s dream, but we haven’t reached there yet.

— Kiranjeet KaurCommentary on the current state and future potential of AI agent technology.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hong Kong Free Press. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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