New Delhi: With over 5,000 artificial intelligence patents under its belt, Chinese smartphone maker Oppo aims to set off a wave of the generative AI (GenAI) phones that will become mainstream consumer devices in the coming years, Peter Dohyung Lee, head of product strategy, said in an exclusive interview with Mint.
Lee, responsible for the kind of devices Oppo buyers will end up using in the coming years, said that over time all its phones will have GenAI embedded into the devices, though it will begin with a target of 50 million devices by end of this year.
“After feature phones and smartphones, next-gen AI phones will represent the third major transformative stage in mobile technology. Oppo is already a frontrunner in imaging technology, and this gives us an edge as we continue to integrate AI in enhancing the imaging experience,” he said.
The company is integrating its GenAI features across its entire product line-up, with over 100 functionalities planned for release this year alone. “Oppo is determined to make AI phones accessible to everyone, and we will continue to innovate to present optimal AI phone experiences to our users,” he added. He also noted that the company set up its own AI centre for research and generating innovative concepts, even as it has been developing its own large language models since 2020 and has been active in large vision models and multimodal technology.
AI Adoption
He said that India will be a significant adopter of AI and, hence, would be a critical market in which Oppo is the fourth-largest player in terms of sales volume.
“India is an extremely significant market for Oppo. The country has over a billion mobile phone users, and the penetration of smartphones across smaller towns and villages has grown significantly over the last few years,” Lee said, adding that particularly for AI, India’s young population was driving rapid adoption, largely through phones.
“The Reno12 Series include an AI Recording Summary feature that records meetings in English and Hindi, generating notes and summaries with a single touch. We are looking forward to adding more Indian languages to this feature,” he added.
While AI is a key focus, Lee acknowledges the need for evolving hardware and software to keep pace with rapid AI integration. Oppo is addressing this by prioritizing robust privacy, security, and data encryption technologies. This ensures a safe and secure user experience as AI features become more prominent. Durability is another focus area for Oppo, ensuring their devices are built to last in the ever-changing technological landscape.
For the rest of the financial year, Oppo India will launch new products, but also add new AI features, updates, and refinements to existing models across various price segments, he said.
Lee said Oppo was open to forging partnerships with local AI creators and startups in the Indian market, but did not specify details.
