At this year's WAIC, intelligent agents took center stage.
Agent Phone: No App, Only a Dialogue Box
The "STEPX Neo" agent phone, exhibited by StepFun, was named one of the top ten "treasure of the hall" exhibits. This phone features an agent-native operating system: its home screen has no app icons, only a dialogue input box.
After a staff member said, "Help me process tomorrow's report," the phone began automatically accessing the calendar, organizing work content, and generating a PowerPoint framework and document draft. With integrations to Ctrip, Alipay, Didi, Meituan, and other apps already in place, this phone can also act like a "digital butler," completing tasks such as ordering food, hailing rides, and booking tickets. One user exclaimed after the experience, "It feels like there's a person living inside the phone."
Robots: From "Showcase Stunts" to "Real Work"
Unlike the performance-oriented display logic of previous editions, this year's robot demonstrations shifted towards full-scenario closed loops. Most of the industrial robots, companion robots, and specialized inspection robots on display performed dynamic, hands-on operations—flexible robotic arms completing precision assembly of automotive parts, humanoid robots autonomously sorting logistics, and service robots performing in-home care tasks.
Zhiyuan Robotics brought five new products to the show. Its mass-produced general-purpose embodied robots have already exceeded 15,000 units. Wang Chuang, Partner and Senior Vice President of Zhiyuan Robotics, stated: "Next, we will continue to upgrade foundational technologies like the embodied foundation model to make robots smarter. At the same time, we will strengthen the industrial ecosystem and lower the barrier for robots to enter factories and stores through flexible means such as leasing."
Keenon Robotics demonstrated the full-process operation of a humanoid robot entering a hotel laundry room scenario—from guest room ordering, picking up clothes, task handover in the laundry room, operating washing machines, drying and folding, to returning clothes to the guest room. Behind this was the first public showing of Keenon's integrated world model VLA architecture.
Fourier Intelligence showcased the desktop robot GR Nano, only the size of a palm. It can recognize its owner and strangers, make endearing responses, and even develop different personalities through long-term interaction, positioning itself as a "social companion."
The "One-Person Company" Sparks Young Entrepreneurs' Dreams
For the first time, this year's conference established a dedicated "One-Person Company" (OPC) exhibition area. An exhibitor specializing in wearable agent assistants told reporters: "This AI ring can record audio all day, actively tracking a person's daily status, and weighs only 5 grams." Over 40 youth-focused events attracted 1,030 young global AI talents to Shanghai, with all 61 roadshow projects led by entrepreneurs born in the 1990s and 2000s.
Behind the shift from "talking the talk" to "walking the walk" lies a qualitative change in AI—from "entertainment tool" to "factor of production." The "no-app" design of agent phones reveals a future direction: users no longer need to learn the operating logic of each app; they just tell the AI "what they want to do." Meanwhile, the rise of "one-person companies" signifies that AI is dramatically lowering the barriers to entrepreneurship and innovation.