ByteDance unveils an AI voice assistant on ZTE phones, signalling expansion into China’s booming consumer AI market.
Chinese tech company ByteDance has launched a new AI voice assistant, initially available on ZTE’s Nubia M153 smartphone.
The tool leverages the Doubao large language model to let users handle tasks by voice, from content searches to ticket bookings.
The AI assistant represents ByteDance’s latest move into consumer AI, joining the ranks of similar features offered by Chinese smartphone makers like Huawei and Xiaomi.
While Apple has yet to introduce its intelligence tools in China, Alibaba has partnered with the tech giant to explore AI-powered features for iPhones in the region.
The Nubia M153, currently a prototype priced at 3,499 yuan ($495), will be the first device to feature the new assistant, with limited pre-orders already underway.
Following the announcement, ZTE shares jumped 10%, reaching their highest level since late October, buoyed by both the AI news and a series of 5G supply contracts in Vietnam.
ByteDance clarified that it does not plan to manufacture its own smartphones.
Instead, the company is negotiating with multiple phone makers to expand the AI assistant’s availability.
Its Doubao chatbot, a widely used platform in China, currently boasts 159 million monthly active users, significantly outpacing competitors such as Tencent’s Yuanbao and DeepSeek.
As ByteDance extends its AI footprint, users can expect more phones to adopt its voice assistant in the near future.
For updates on device availability and new AI features, follow ByteDance and ZTE’s official channels.
