Nubia Installs OpenClaw on Z80 Ultra, AI Can Control Applications Independently

Chinese smartphone vendor Nubia is installing AI OpenClaw on its flagship device, the Nubia Z80 Ultra.

Through this initiative, the Nubia Z80 Ultra is being positioned as the first smartphone to integrate OpenClaw AI directly into the device’s operating system (native).

OpenClaw is an open-source AI agent designed to perform tasks, rather than simply answering questions like a chatbot. This AI can connect with various applications, files and online services on a smartphone, allowing various tasks on the digital device to be executed automatically by the AI.

Ni Fei, President of ZTE Terminal Business Unit and President of Nubia Technology, describes the Nubia Z80 Ultra’s capabilities as a “Gateway-type AI phone”. According to Fei, this concept allows AI to be integrated directly with the phone’s system, rather than merely being an additional feature.

The Nubia Z80 Ultra is also equipped with a scenario-based application called ClawBot and a Skills ecosystem that enables AI to work across multiple applications. This approach differs from most current smartphones, which typically present AI as a separate application or cloud-based service.

Because it is embedded directly in the operating system, the OpenClaw AI on the Nubia Z80 Ultra is claimed to respond to commands faster and execute various device functions directly.

To test this integration technology, Nubia has launched an internal testing programme called the “Nubia Shrimp Farmer Program”. Through this programme, Nubia will recruit a number of users to become beta testers and try the OpenClaw AI integration first on the Nubia Z80 Ultra.

Nubia hopes this beta testing will help refine the AI user experience on the device based on actual usage feedback from users.

The Nubia Z80 Ultra was launched on 22 October 2025. As a flagship phone, the Nubia Z80 Ultra is equipped with robust specifications across performance, camera and battery endurance.