Pocket-size AI: Powerful phones star at China show

The World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai turned its focus to the next stage of mobile technology: agentic phones. Manufacturers such as Nubia and Honor are racing to bring devices to market that act as active assistants rather than passive tools. These phones use voice commands to handle tasks like ordering food, managing schedules, or comparing prices across different platforms. The promise is a device that does the heavy lifting for the user in real time.

However, this shift brings friction with existing digital ecosystems. Earlier prototypes faced hurdles when tech giants like Alibaba and Tencent restricted access to their apps, concerned about losing direct control over user interaction. Without deep integration, these AI agents often struggle to function as intended. Some developers are now attempting to build official partnerships with these platforms to ensure their tools can work across services without being blocked.

Industry analysts note that while there is no clear winner yet, the competition is heating up significantly. Companies are experimenting with different hardware forms, including robotic attachments that can interpret gestures or record video. While the current technology remains in the early stages, experts predict this transition will change how people use their phones within the next five to ten years. This move threatens to disrupt traditional business models as apps become secondary to the AI agents that manage them.