Chinese smartphone giant Oppo is set to integrate generative artificial intelligence (AI) features across its entire product line, from premium to budget models.
With that in mind, the company aims to position itself as a leading handset manufacturer in the AI era.
AI for All: Democratizing Advanced Technology
Generative AI, the technology behind intelligent chatbots like OpenAI's ChatGPT, is transitioning from a luxury feature to an essential smartphone component.
As per South China Morning Post, Nicole Zhang, General Manager of AI Products at Oppo, highlighted this shift during a recent online event, stating that we live in an era where AI is the most popular and smartphones are considered the most essential personal AI gadgets.
Oppo plans to equip around 50 million of its smartphones with generative AI features by the end of the year. Zhang emphasized the company's goal of making AI accessible in their flagship Find series and the more affordable Reno, F, and A series models.
For the first time, the community is democratizing AI phones in this industry, according to her.
The Competitive AI Smartphone Market
Oppo's move into AI-powered smartphones comes as other Chinese Android brands integrate AI capabilities into their devices to meet growing consumer demand.
According to a report by consultancy Canalys, China is expected to lead the global adoption of AI-powered smartphones. These devices are projected to make up 12% of total smartphone shipments in the country this year, surpassing the global average of 9%.
Canalys analyst Lucas Zhong pointed out that generative AI phones present a significant opportunity for smartphone makers to differentiate themselves and capitalize on the market.
"Vendors are actively engaging consumers by developing interesting AI use cases and integrating AI features into their devices, which will [enhance] consumer awareness and adoption [and] feed into a sustainable monetization model," Zhong said.
AI Innovations Among Competitors
Earlier this year, Xiaomi, another major player in the Chinese smartphone market, launched its flagship 14 Ultra series, featuring built-in AI technology for photo enhancements.
Xiaomi, another domestic smartphone industry powerhouse, has also integrated Alibaba Group Holding's Tongyi Qianwen large language model to power its Xiao Ai chatbot, which is used across its smartphones and electric vehicles.
Similarly, Oppo's rivals Vivo, Huawei Technologies, and its spin-off Honor have all announced plans to incorporate AI in their devices and mobile operating systems. These companies are preparing their next generation of smartphones for AI-assisted tasks, such as photo enhancement, note-taking during calls, and web page summarization.
Future of AI in Oppo Smartphones
While developing AI capabilities in-house is a costly endeavor, Zhang was reassured that Oppo initially aims to provide generative AI features to as many users as possible for free. However, the company has not ruled out the possibility of future charging for certain AI functions.
Zhang acknowledged that the upcoming AI features will be "worth the bill" even though some are expected to come with a price.
Oppo's aggressive push to integrate generative AI across its smartphone lineup is a huge move in the evolution of AI technology in consumer electronics.
By making advanced AI features accessible to a broad audience, Oppo is in the right place to lead the market and reshape the user experience in the AI era. It could also be its answer to Samsung's Galaxy AI.
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