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Timestamp: March 20, 2026 at 08:28 AM

Xiaomi to Expand 'Lobster' AI Assistant to PCs, Phone Version Enters Closed Beta

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Xiaomi Artificial Intelligence MiMo Lei Jun

At a post-event media session following Xiaomi's Spring launch, CEO Lei Jun announced plans to develop a PC version of its 'Lobster' AI assistant, building on the phone-based 'Xiaomi miclaw' which has now entered a closed beta test for tech enthusiasts.

In a significant push into the AI arena, Xiaomi's founder and CEO Lei Jun has outlined the company's ambitious plans for its 'Lobster' series of AI assistants. The announcement came during a media communication session after the company's Spring new product launch event.

Lei Jun emphasized that embracing the AI era is essential for all individuals and enterprises. "Xiaomi has a comprehensive layout in the entire AI field," he stated. Regarding AI models, Lei Jun expressed confidence: "In the model field, Xiaomi strives to be a top-tier player domestically and even globally. Our model has just been released and may require continuous iteration. At the same time, we have already created the phone 'Lobster,' and will soon make the computer 'Lobster.'"

The groundwork for this expansion is already underway. Earlier this month, Xiaomi opened applications for the closed beta of Xiaomi miclaw, the phone-based "Lobster." This product is an AI interactive test platform built upon Xiaomi's proprietary MiMo large model.

Xiaomi cautions that as a technical exploration project, the current version is still being optimized for stability, power consumption, and success rates in complex scenarios. Consequently, the beta is strictly limited to tech enthusiasts and geek users. The company explicitly does not recommend general users to install it on their primary daily devices, warning that high-complexity tasks may experience efficiency fluctuations or occasional failures. Access is controlled via an invitation code system.

For a broader, web-based experience, Xiaomi has also launched Xiaomi MiMo Claw on the MiMo Studio website, offering free trials. This personal assistant can aid users with document generation, news aggregation, content creation, development efficiency, and data analysis.

The strategic value of a PC-based "Lobster" becomes clearer in light of Xiaomi's latest hardware integrations. The newly released Xiaomi Notebook Pro 14 features a remote shutdown/wake function via a built-in network module, allowing it to be controlled by a Xiaomi tablet for remote cross-device document editing and file transfer.

This setup hints at a future workflow where a user, while away from their desk, could remotely wake their laptop and have the computer "Lobster" assistant handle tasks autonomously, seamlessly bridging mobile and desktop AI productivity.

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Xiaomi's push into AI assistants with "Lobster" signals a strategic expansion beyond its core smartphone business. Building on the phone version's closed beta, bringing the assistant to PCs makes sense—cross-platform integration is becoming standard in the AI assistant market, where players like Apple and Microsoft already dominate with Siri and Copilot. The timing is notable. With AI assistants becoming increasingly sophisticated thanks to large language models, Xiaomi clearly wants a seat at the table rather than ceding the space to Big Tech rivals. Lei Jun's direct involvement in announcing this suggests it's a priority initiative. What remains unclear is how "Lobster" will differentiate itself from well-established competitors. Chinese tech companies have historically struggled to gain traction outside their home market, so whether this assistant will appeal primarily to Xiaomi's existing user base or aim for broader adoption is worth watching. The closed beta approach is smart—it allows them to iron out bugs and gather feedback before a wider release. But the real test will be whether users actually find a reason to choose Lobster over assistants they're already comfortable with.

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Xiaomi's expansion of the 'Lobster' AI assistant to PCs signals a strategic move to dominate the AI ecosystem across all devices. As the phone version enters closed beta, the company is clearly trying to match the ecosystem integration seen in Apple Intelligence and Windows Copilot. This cross-device capability is crucial for modern AI adoption, offering users a seamless experience that blurs the line between personal computing and mobile use.