Chinese startup StepFun says it has unveiled the StepX Neo, a smartphone it describes as the world’s first “AI agentic” phone. The company introduced the device at a launch event in Shanghai on Monday, positioning it amid broader competition to bring AI capabilities to consumer devices. Reports describe StepFun as a relatively new company founded in 2023 by former Microsoft employees in Shanghai, and note that it focuses on on-device AI and works through integrations with other manufacturers, rather than only designing phones end to end.
According to the sources, the StepX Neo runs Step AOS, an operating system intended for AI agents. StepFun also markets the phone under its “StepX” branding and frames the device as an “agentic” product, implying the phone is designed to perform tasks autonomously through AI agents. One outlet also describes StepFun as being backed by Tencent Holdings.
Both sources present the claim as StepFun’s own positioning of the phone, with details provided around the company, launch context, and the operating system supporting AI agent functionality.
