SHANGHAI (Azat TV) – The global smartphone industry is entering a new phase of competition as Chinese technology firms pivot toward “agentic AI”—systems capable of understanding complex requests and executing tasks autonomously. According to reporting from Bloomberg and industry announcements at the World AI Conference in Shanghai, brands such as ZTE, Honor, and the startup StepFun are unveiling devices where artificial intelligence is the core operating principle rather than an added feature.
ZTE has introduced the NaviX Ultra, which it labels as the world’s first agentic AI smartphone. Unlike traditional devices that require users to navigate between various applications, the NaviX Ultra is designed to carry out multi-step tasks on behalf of the user. The device features a dedicated hardware button to launch ByteDance’s AI assistant, Doubao, allowing for voice-activated task execution that bypasses standard app-switching workflows.
The shift represents a fundamental change in the mobile market’s competitive metrics. For over a decade, manufacturers competed primarily on hardware specifications such as display resolution, camera quality, and processor speed. The emergence of agentic AI suggests that the next generation of market leadership will be defined by software autonomy and the ability of an AI system to manage a user’s digital ecosystem without manual intervention.
This technological push comes as Apple prepares to expand its presence in the Chinese mainland. Apple recently received regulatory approval to roll out its “Apple Intelligence” suite in China through strategic partnerships with local giants Alibaba and Baidu. However, Chinese manufacturers are attempting to leapfrog standard AI features by integrating agentic capabilities directly into the operating system level.
StepFun, an AI startup, also showcased its own operating system and built-in assistant, Amoo, while Honor is finalizing plans to launch AI-focused devices powered by Alibaba’s large language models later this year. As these devices enter the market, the primary challenge for both domestic brands and Apple will be proving to consumers that AI autonomy offers a tangible improvement in daily utility over traditional smartphone interfaces.