A little‑known Chinese firm, Step Fun, says it will launch the world’s first “AI agentic” smartphone, the Step X Neo. Founded in 2023 by former Microsoft staff in Shanghai, the company has previously supplied on‑device AI services to brands like Oppo and Geely. The phone will run Step AOS, featuring a personal AI assistant called Step Amoo that you converse with in natural language. The OS claims to tackle the three AI bottlenecks—memory, decision‑making and execution—offering memory retrieval in as little as 15ms and offline autonomous capabilities, while still tapping the cloud for heavy tasks without leaking personal data.

Step Fun’s on‑device LLM, Step Edge, is touted as top‑ranked in 29 benchmarks, though the exact tests and competitors are unspecified. The hardware details remain vague; the only visual cue is a dot‑matrix LED back panel reminiscent of Nothing phones. Partners announced include Chinese services such as Meituan, Alipay, Amap, Baidu, Didi and Ctrip. Whether the device will materialise beyond hype is uncertain, but the claim positions Step Fun as a bold challenger in the AI‑phone race.