Xiaomi Plans Annual Smartphone Chips and Global AI Assistant

Xiaomi is planning to upgrade its in-house smartphone chips every year as part of its long-term semiconductor strategy. Speaking at the Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, Xiaomi President Lu Weibing said the next version of the company’s proprietary chip is expected to launch in 2026. The move aims to establish an annual upgrade cycle similar to companies like Apple and Google, which already use their own custom processors in smartphones.

Xiaomi introduced its first modern in house mobile processor, the XRing O1, last year. Built using TSMC’s 3nm technology, the chip debuted in the Xiaomi 15S Pro and the Xiaomi Pad 7 Ultra. While the current chip is limited to China, the company plans to bring future versions of its processors to Xiaomi smartphones sold in international markets as well.

The company is also expanding its artificial intelligence assistant beyond China. Xiaomi’s current assistant, Xiao AI, mainly works within its smart ecosystem, including smartphones and smart home devices. Xiaomi now plans to launch a global AI assistant that will work across smartphones, smart devices and even its upcoming electric vehicles as part of a connected technology ecosystem.