ByteDance announces new AI voice assistant, Nubia M153 to get it first

In a move aimed at rivalling other Chinese tech giants like Huawei and Xiaomi, ByteDance is poised to launch a new artificial intelligence (AI) voice control tool for a smartphone manufactured by ZTE Corp.

The new, innovative voice AI assistant, powered by ByteDance's popular Doubao large language model, will allow users to voice-activate tasks such as finding content and booking tickets.

The first Chinese phone to get ByteDance's AI voice assistant

As per Reuters, ZTE's Nubia M153 will be the first handset to receive ByteDance's AI voice tool. While the Nubia M153 is a prototype priced at 3,499 yuan (£495), it is available for pre-order in limited quantities.

The tool will compete with similar AI tools introduced by other Chinese smartphone makers.

ByteDance's AI voice assistant comes as Apple is gearing up to debut its Apple Intelligence in China, with Alibaba joining hands with the iPhone maker to develop AI features for iPhones for Chinese phones.

ZTE shares rise

Following the announcement of ByteDance's new AI voice tool, ZTE shares surged by 10% on Monday to reach their highest level since October 29, backed by the new Nubia phone's impending launch and recent contracts to supply 5G equipment in Vietnam.

The Chinese tech juggernaut says it has no plans to develop its own smartphones and is in talks with multiple manufacturers to roll out the AI voice assistant.