AI will enhance, not replace humans and smartphones will evolve into intelligent collaborators with empathy: Oppo

India Today

5 days ago

At MWC 2025, Oppo announced its 'enhanced' AI strategy with an aim of bringing generative AI capabilities to an astounding 100 million users globally by the end of 2025. India will be 'central' to realising and achieving this goal, a top-level executive at the company said on the sidelines of the recent Reno 14 series launch in the country.Speaking exclusively to India Today Tech, Peter Dohyung Lee, Head of Product Strategy, at Oppo said, 'India is central to our goal of bringing GenAI to 100 million global users by 2025.' Calling it 'one of the most exciting markets for GenAI,' Lee highlighted that India's tech-savvy population is 'moving fast on AI, not just in awareness, but in real-world adoption' and Oppo is obliging by building 'useful, intuitive tools and making them accessible.'advertisementTo do that, it is 'actively' collaborating with Google, Microsoft, MediaTek and Qualcomm, to explore 'broader possibilities for AI phones' while ensuring user data is handled responsibly through compliance and privacy safeguards. Regarding AI replacing humans, Lee offered a profound anecdote: 'The future is not about humans vs AI, but it's about humans and AI, a partnership where technology enhances what we already do, not replaces it.'
Edited excerpts.-- What is AI at Oppo? Is the Oppo team using AI tools internally? If yes, to what end and what is the end goal?At Oppo, AI isn't just a buzzword - it's a fundamental shift in how we approach innovation. We see it as a powerful way to make technology more personal, useful, and intuitive. Smartphones are the most direct path to bringing AI into people's everyday lives, and we have been embedding AI into our products long before it became a trend. From imaging and power efficiency to overall user experience, AI is deeply integrated across our portfolio. You see it in features like the HyperTone Image Engine, which delivers more natural, detailed portraits, and SuperVOOC fast charging, where AI smartly manages power and extends battery life.
Peter Dohyung Lee, Head of Product Strategy, Oppo
Internally, we are also applying AI and intelligent automation across R&D and testing, helping teams move faster, work smarter, and focus on what truly matters, i.e., delivering meaningful innovation. Our goal is simple - AI for all. That means bringing powerful, user-friendly AI features to everyone, not just flagship users.-- How smartphones play a role in democratising AI? What are some of the biggest challenges for brands like Oppo to get the implementation right in terms of both consumer-facing features and privacy?Smartphones are the most accessible entry point for AI, especially in a mobile-first country like India. At Oppo, we believe AI should benefit everyone, not just premium users. That's why we focus on integrating AI across all segments, not layering it on top, but building it deeply into the product experience.The challenge lies in striking the right balance, delivering powerful and helpful features while ensuring accessibility, performance, and privacy. We have already introduced over 100 AI-powered features on our devices - from advanced imaging to on-device GenAI and smart productivity tools. Beyond our innovations, we collaborate closely with partners such as Google, Microsoft, MediaTek and Qualcomm to optimise AI experiences.Privacy is just as important. AI means more data, but it also means more responsibility. As a global brand, Oppo fully complies with local regulations and has invested heavily in data protection including encryption, firewalls, and secure on-device processing. The goal is simple: deliver better AI experiences, built on a foundation of privacy and responsibility.-- How is Oppo placed to make GenAI features accessible to users? What are the types of investments Oppo is making in the field?advertisementAt Oppo, we see AI not as a high-end feature but as a daily companion, something that should be accessible to everyone. The recently launched Reno 14 series is a clear expression of that belief. It's more than just a product launch; it's a step toward our larger ambition of bringing generative AI to over 100 million users globally by 2025. Packing the most AI features in its segment, it brings tools like AI Eraser 2.0, AI Best Face, and more to everyday users.Driving this push is the Oppo AI Centre, which brings together our global expertise across imaging, productivity, and creativity. We have already filed over 5,800 AI-related patents spanning everything from image processing and natural language understanding to machine learning and are committed to rolling out new updates in a timely manner.advertisement-- Reno has been around for some time. Can you take us through some of its key milestones?Reno made its debut in 2019, and since then, it has grown into a go-to choice for users who value creativity and design. Globally, it is trusted by over 130 million people, and a big part of that is how we have consistently brought flagship-level camera and AI features in each generation.In India, the response has been fantastic. Reno has seen steady double-digit growth since 2021 and built a strong identity in the mid-premium space. People here don't just use their phones; they use them to create, tell stories, and express themselves, and Reno has become a part of that lifestyle.-- Talk about Oppo's strategic global partnerships with Google and Microsoft to enhance the product AI ecosystem?Our partnerships with Google and Microsoft are central to scaling meaningful AI experiences across our devices. With the Reno 14 series, we have deepened our collaboration with Google, where Gemini pulls information and helps you take actions across multiple apps and services, including Oppo Notes, Calendar, and Clock. This integration enables users to effortlessly perform complex actions across multiple apps using simple natural language queries, significantly enhancing AI convenience. With Microsoft, we are enhancing voice and text interactions to make them faster, more accurate, and natural. Using Azure AI's Fast Transcription, we have improved how audio recordings are converted into text. Our collaboration with Microsoft will also bridge desktop and mobile experiences where Oppo users will soon be able to use Microsoft Copilot on their PC to draft content, translate messages, or find addresses directly on their connected smartphone. Together, these partnerships support Oppo's hybrid AI strategy combining on-device and cloud intelligence to deliver fast, secure, and user-centric AI features.advertisement-- Is Oppo open to building and using its own LLM?We have been investing in our language models since 2020 in large vision and multimodal technology. What's exciting is that Oppo is the first smartphone company to successfully deploy an LLM with 7 billion parametres directly on the device. It is a big step forward in making powerful AI more personal, secure, and accessible right from your phone. By advancing AI technologies, we have rolled out over 100 generative AI features across our phones in 2024. Alongside our in-house models, we also integrate Google Gemini family LLMs into our flagship series.advertisement-- Talk about India's acceptance appetite for AI? What are Oppo's expectations from the Indian market?India is moving fast on AI, not just in awareness, but in real-world adoption. With over 690 million users and a young, tech-savvy population, it is one of the most exciting markets for GenAI.We are already seeing strong demand across tiers, with users expecting flagship-grade AI in mid-range phones. That makes India central to our goal of bringing GenAI to 100 million users by 2025.This isn't about just pushing tech; it's about building useful, intuitive tools and making them accessible. That's why we are bringing features like AI Eraser, AI Recording Summary, and AI-powered imaging into mid and affordable segments, turning 'AI for All' into reality.-- How much AI is too much AI? What are some of the biggest customer pain-points Oppo is trying to solve with AI?It's not about adding more AI, it's about making it work meaningfully in people's lives. At Oppo, we focus on solving real user needs across imaging, productivity and performance parametres. With the Reno 14 series, users get practical tools like AI Eraser, AI Voice Scribe, and AI Translate, built to simplify tasks and save time based on user pain points. Our collaboration with MediaTek and Qualcomm help fine-tune performance at the chip level, enabling faster on-device AI, smoother multitasking, and smarter battery use. In the end, it's the right balance of hardware, software, and AI that delivers a truly better experience, not just more AI for the sake of it.-- What does the future look like for smartphones in the age of AI?Smartphones in the age of AI will become far more than smart devices, they will evolve into intelligent collaborators. We are moving toward phones that understand context, anticipate needs, and support users in real time, whether it's boosting creativity, improving communication, or simplifying daily tasks. The future is not about humans vs AI, but it's about humans and AI, a partnership where technology enhances what we already do, not replaces it. The smartphone will be the most personal gateway to this AI-powered future, with empathy, privacy, and user control at its core.- Ends