The Xiaomi 17 Professional Max rear show flagship smartphone by Xiaomi displayed at Cellular World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on March 3, 2026.
Joan Cros | Nurphoto | Getty Pictures
BARCELONA — Xiaomi plans to launch a brand new smartphone processor chip yearly, the corporate’s President Lu Weibing instructed CNBC, underscoring the corporate’s ambition to broaden into extra subtle areas of expertise.
In a wide-ranging interview on Tuesday, Lu additionally mentioned that Xiaomi is gearing as much as launch its personal AI assistant for abroad markets.
Final 12 months, Xiaomi launched the XRing O1, a system-on-chip (SoC) primarily based on a complicated 3 nanometer manufacturing course of. Few smartphone makers design their very own SoCs, which energy the units they’re constructed into.
Apple has the A collection of chips, whereas Samsung has the Exynos model. Different smartphone makers depend on SoCs from firms like Qualcomm and MediaTek.
“That is our first chip product. Going ahead, we should always most certainly launch a yearly improve,” Lu instructed CNBC on the sidelines on the Cellular World Congress commerce present in Barcelona.
A yearly improve to the SoC is an enormous endeavor that retains tempo with Apple, which has usually launched a brand new A chip yearly. Lu mentioned that the chip will debut in a tool that will probably be launched this 12 months in China, and can finally characteristic within the telephones the corporate sells abroad.
Lu’s feedback differ from Xiaomi Vice President Xu Fei’s phrases in September, when he instructed CNBC that the corporate could not promise to launch a brand new one annually.
A customized SoC would enable Xiaomi to tightly combine its {hardware} with its software program to distinguish from opponents’ merchandise. Xiaomi has developed its personal cellular working system primarily based on Android referred to as HyperOS.
Worldwide AI assistant
In China, Xiaomi’s units have an AI assistant referred to as Xiao AI, constructed on AI fashions developed in-house.
Xiao AI is primarily targeted on Xiaomi’s merchandise in China. However Lu instructed CNBC the corporate is making ready to launch an AI assistant for worldwide markets because it launches its EVs abroad, which the corporate has previously said would be in 2027 in Europe.
“When our vehicles go to the worldwide markets, you will notice our AI brokers come together with it,” Lu mentioned.
Xiaomi will seemingly look to associate with Google to make use of its Gemini fashions for its abroad AI assistant in addition to its personal, Lu mentioned.
Different smartphone makers have taken an identical strategy. Samsung is integrating totally different AI fashions and choices into its units whereas relying closely on Google Gemini.
Xiaomi is aiming to have its AI assistant throughout smartphones and vehicles, Lu mentioned.
Final 12 months, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun mentioned the corporate would make investments no less than 50 billion yuan ($6.9 billion) over the following 10 years in its personal chip growth.
The Beijing-headquartered agency plans to mix its XRing O1 chip, HyperOS working system and AI assistant into one machine for the primary time this 12 months, Lu mentioned.
“It is going to be in China markets first, however finally, we’d need to introduce them to abroad markets,” he added.
