Xiaomi is ramping up smartphone chip development and plans to roll out a new processor every year, CNBC reported on Tuesday.

Xiaomi launched its 3-nanometre XRing O1 chip last year and has been strengthening its chip development capabilities. Few smartphone makers have in-house chips like Apple’s A-series or Samsung’s Exynos. Xiaomi plans to upgrade its chips every year to boost competitiveness. Xiaomi President Lu Weibing (루 웨이빙) told CNBC in an interview, “We will launch devices with a new chip in China this year, and later introduce them to overseas markets.”

Xiaomi is also pushing ahead with the development of an AI assistant aimed at overseas markets.

Xiaomi devices in China currently come with the company’s own AI assistant, Xiao AI. Lu said, “When we launch an electric car in the European market in 2027, we will also introduce an AI agent.” Xiaomi has also left open the possibility of cooperating with Google’s Gemini model to develop an AI assistant for overseas markets.

Xiaomi plans to introduce devices integrating AI, chips and its operating system, HyperOS, in China this year and then expand them to overseas markets. Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun (레이쥔) previously said the company would invest 50 billion yuan, or about $6.9 billion, over 10 years in chip development.