(Yicai) Oct. 23 -- Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies has released HarmonyOS 6, its next-generation operating system with artificial intelligence capabilities that includes the first batch of more than 80 applications featuring AI agents.

"This is a new milestone for us," Richard Yu, Huawei executive director and chairman of its consumer business group, said at the launch conference yesterday. HarmonyOS 6 has been comprehensively upgraded in terms of application ecology and user experience, and will gradually open large-scale public beta on over 90 device models, he added.

HarmonyOS 6 provides an agent development framework, allowing developers to make agents with intelligent interaction, autonomous decision-making, and collaboration capabilities with no need to build underlying algorithms, according to the Shenzhen-based firm. This will promote the operation interface shift to language interaction from traditional screen touch.

The first batch of more than 80 AI agents developed through the framework has been launched, covering education, medical care, entertainment, and life services apps. They can assist users in completing various tasks such as ordering takeout and booking air tickets.

For example, e-commerce giant JD.Com has developed a shopping assistant agent on HarmonyOS, which can recommend products based on user needs, search for promotions, and compare discounts.

HarmonyOS 6 also includes cross-system interconnection that allows users to transfer data without needing an internet connection. The latest version supports near field communication with Apple devices for the first time.

Huawei released the HarmonyOS 5 in October last year, with the system installed on more than 23 million terminal devices so far, according to Yu.

Last month, Huawei launched its Tiangong Plan at the developer conference Huawei Connect, pledging to invest more than CNY1 billion (USD140.3 million) and other resources to support the building of the HarmonyOS AI ecosystem. The firm will incubate more than 10,000 AI-native services, 1,000 intent frameworks, and 5,000 agents on its OS in the future.

Editors: Dou Shicong, Martin Kadiev