# ecosystem lock-in

Chinese Phone Makers Race to Put Personal AI 'Agents' on Devices — But Real Utility Is Uncertain

Huawei, Xiaomi and Honor have launched mobile, on-device AI agents — dubbed "phone lobsters" in China — promising 24/7 personalised assistance and cross-device actions. Vendors tout privacy and low latency from edge deployment, but analysts warn usefulness is limited without third-party API access and wider app integration.