Benchmarking Apple and Samsung! Xiaomi officially announces its self-developed SoC "annual update" plan and plans to collaborate with Google Gemini to create an international version of its AI assistant.

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Xiaomi is accelerating its move into high-end technology fields, making simultaneous efforts in self-developed chips and AI deployment.

Xiaomi President Lu Weibing said in an interview with CNBC on Tuesday that the company plans to upgrade its self-developed SOC chips annually and is preparing to launch an independent AI assistant for overseas markets. This statement marks a substantive step forward for Xiaomi in the pursuit of core technology autonomy, and suggests its chip iteration pace will match that of Apple.

Analysts believe Xiaomi is attempting to build differentiated competitive barriers through deep integration of chips, operating systems, and AI assistants, distinct from third-party solutions like Qualcomm and MediaTek, and is laying the groundwork in AI for its planned entry into the European electric vehicle market in 2027.

Annual Chip Updates: Ambition to Catch Up with Apple

Xiaomi launched its first self-developed SOC chip, Xuanjie O1, last year, using advanced 3-nanometer process technology. During the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Lu Weibing told CNBC, "This is our first chip product. Looking ahead, we expect to upgrade it once a year."

He revealed that the new generation chip will first be used in devices released domestically this year, and later extend to models sold in overseas markets.

Releasing a new SoC every year is a major engineering investment, aligning with Apple’s practice of releasing new A-series chips annually. Currently, Apple has its A-series chips, Samsung has the Exynos brand, while most other smartphone makers still rely on third-party SoC solutions from Qualcomm or MediaTek.

Notably, Xiaomi Vice President Xu Fei told CNBC last September that the company could not commit to releasing new chips annually. Lu Weibing’s clear statement this time indicates a significant boost in the company’s internal confidence regarding its chip strategy.

Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun announced last year that the company will invest at least 50 billion yuan (around USD 6.9 billion) over the next 10 years in self-developed chips.

Integrated AI in Hardware and Software: First-ever Three-in-One

The strategic value of self-developed SoCs lies not only in the chip itself, but in its deep collaboration with software. Lu Weibing stated, Xiaomi plans to integrate the Xuanjie O1 chip, HyperOS operating system, and AI assistant into the same device for the first time this year. "It will land in the Chinese market first, but ultimately we hope to launch it overseas."

Xiaomi has developed its own HyperOS mobile operating system based on Android. In the domestic market, Xiaomi devices are equipped with the "Xiao Ai" AI assistant, whose underlying model is self-developed and mainly serves the domestic product ecosystem.

Such close integration of chips and software is at the core of Apple's competitive barriers over the years. Xiaomi aims to replicate this approach to achieve product differentiation from competitors.

Teaming Up With Google Gemini: Overseas AI Assistant On the Agenda

As Xiaomi plans to enter the European EV market in 2027, the company is also preparing an AI assistant for international markets. Lu Weibing said, "When our cars enter international markets, you will see our AI intelligent agent as well."

On the choice of models for the overseas AI assistant, Lu Weibing stated that Xiaomi may seek to partner with Google and use its Gemini model, while also integrating its own models. This strategy is similar to Samsung's—Samsung integrates multiple AI models in its devices and relies heavily on Google Gemini.

Xiaomi's goal is to enable its AI assistant across both smartphones and cars, creating a unified AI experience across devices.

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