Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming the biggest talking point in smartphones, but most AI features still need users to tap through apps to get things done. StepFun believes it has a better idea.
The Chinese AI startup has introduced the StepX Neo, calling it the world's first mass market agentic AI smartphone. Instead of treating AI as another chatbot, the company says the phone comes with an AI agent that can actually carry out tasks across different apps on its own.
Founded in 2023 by former Microsoft executives, StepFun has built the phone around its own AI model, called Step Edge, and a custom operating system known as Step AOS.
The AI Is Meant to Act, Not Just Respond
The biggest difference with the StepX Neo is its AI assistant, Step Amoo.
Rather than simply answering questions or helping you write messages, the assistant is designed to complete tasks from start to finish. For instance, if you're planning a trip, you can ask it to handle everything. It can look for flights, suggest hotels, make bookings, organise your itinerary and save the details without making you jump between different apps.
According to StepFun, the assistant also learns from your habits over time, allowing it to make more relevant suggestions as you continue using the phone.
A Handy Companion for Travellers
The company is also pitching the StepX Neo as a useful device for people who travel frequently.
One of its standout features is live translation support for 32 languages and regional dialects. This isn't limited to face to face conversations. The phone can also translate phone calls, text messages and even text that appears in front of the camera.
The AI can do a bit more than that. It can check local transport options, suggest nearby places to visit, remind you when it's time to check in for a flight, access saved travel plans even without an internet connection, and notify you about visa requirements or customs paperwork.
A Different Take on Android
StepFun says the experience is powered by Step AOS, its own operating system.
While it's built using Android, Linux and RTOS components, the company says it has redesigned much of the software instead of simply adding AI features on top of Android.
At the heart of the system is what StepFun calls an Atomic Capability Engine. In simple terms, it allows the AI to understand different apps and system functions, then combine them to complete a task without constant user input. The operating system also supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP), which helps the AI work across supported apps and services.
AI Processing Happens on the Phone
Unlike some AI features that rely heavily on cloud servers, StepFun says much of the processing takes place directly on the device using its Step Edge foundation model.
The company claims the model performs better than rival edge AI models in 29 benchmark tests. However, it has not shared which benchmarks were used, so those claims cannot be independently verified for now.
Backed by Popular Chinese Apps
To make the AI more useful in everyday situations, StepFun has partnered with several well known Chinese platforms, including Ctrip, Alipay, Didi, Meituan, WPS Office and CapCut.
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These partnerships allow the AI assistant to book rides, make payments, plan trips, edit videos and complete other tasks without requiring users to switch between multiple apps manually.
Whether the StepX Neo lives up to its ambitious claims remains to be seen, but it clearly shows where smartphone makers believe AI is headed. Instead of simply answering questions, the next generation of AI may be expected to complete entire tasks on behalf of users.