Nubia has taken a significant step toward launching what it’s calling the world’s first AI agent smartphone, with the company confirming it has completed regulatory filing for its own large-scale AI agent model. The announcement came from Ni Fei, President of ZTE’s Terminal Business Unit and President of Nubia Technology, who also revealed that the upcoming device will include ByteDance’s Doubao mobile assistant.
What Nubia Announced
According to Ni Fei, Nubia has become one of the first companies to complete official filing for a large-scale intelligent agent model, a regulatory step required in China before AI systems of this scale can be deployed commercially. He stated that Nubia’s upcoming AI-powered smartphone will be the first terminal device to feature this large-scale AI assistant integrated directly into the phone, positioning it as a device where users can delegate tasks to an AI agent with greater confidence in its reliability and compliance.
Alongside Nubia’s own AI agent model, the phone will also include Doubao, ByteDance’s mobile AI assistant, giving the device access to two distinct AI systems working together, one built specifically by Nubia for agent-based task handling, and another from Doubao for broader assistant functionality.
Positioned as a Mass-Produced Flagship
This latest announcement builds on earlier reporting, which indicated that Nubia plans to launch what it describes as the world’s first AI-powered smartphone. Unlike a limited concept device, this phone is being positioned as a genuine mass-produced flagship model rather than a proof-of-concept demonstration unit.
The device is confirmed to make its first public appearance at the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), giving Nubia a high-profile stage to showcase its AI agent capabilities alongside other major players in the AI industry.
About the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference
The WAIC event, along with the accompanying High-Level Meeting on Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence, is scheduled to take place in Shanghai from July 17 to 20. This year’s edition is reportedly set to break previous records across multiple metrics, including exhibition scale, the number of new product launches, and the total number of forum sessions held throughout the event.
Organizers expect more than 1,000 exhibitors to participate, showcasing over 3,000 exhibits covering various areas of AI technology. Notably, more than 300 new AI products are expected to make their global debut at the conference, positioning WAIC as one of the more significant AI industry events happening this year, and giving Nubia’s AI phone launch added visibility by association.
What This Means for the Smartphone Industry
Nubia’s push toward an AI agent-focused smartphone reflects a broader trend among Chinese smartphone manufacturers, who have increasingly been racing to integrate more advanced AI assistant capabilities directly into their devices rather than treating AI as a secondary software feature. By combining its own proprietary AI agent model with an established assistant like Doubao, Nubia appears to be betting that users will respond well to having multiple AI systems available on a single device, each suited to different types of tasks.
With the official WAIC debut just days away, more concrete details about the phone’s hardware specifications, pricing, and full AI capabilities are expected to emerge shortly.
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