According to a report in Smart Emergence, after exploring live e-commerce, AR, and AI assistants, Luo Yonghao's latest entrepreneurial venture centers around the AIOS (AI operating system) field. To this end, he recruited Wang Wenjun, a veteran in the operating system field and a former top 50 employee of Xiaomi.
Luo Yonghao's foray into AIOS isn't through a new company; instead, he's leveraging his existing AR company, The Red Line, to expand its business. His interest in AIOS has been evident for some time; he previously revealed that his true aim was to return to the hardware sector, starting with AIOS and then moving on to AI phones. Wang Wenjun, who joined Luo Yonghao in this AIOS venture, served as Xiaomi's MIUI chief architect for an extended period, playing a crucial role in MIUI's creation and development.
Image Note: Image generated by AI, image licensing provided by Midjourney
Although the AIOS leader is in place, the team is currently focusing its R&D efforts on J1Assistant, a beta AI assistant launched in early January. Luo Yonghao founded The Red Line in 2022, securing approximately $50 million in angel funding from investors including Meituan Dragon Ball, DJI Innovation, and Jingwei.
However, its AR glasses have yet to launch, while the AI assistant J1Assistant, with a UI boasting a distinct "Hammer" style, was released in early 2024. An investor revealed that Luo Yonghao hopes to leverage products incorporating the "AI Agent" concept to facilitate future funding rounds, but the beta version's reception has been lukewarm. J1Assistant is an integrated AI assistant combining voice interaction, task management, and intelligent search, which Luo Yonghao plans to deeply integrate as a system capability with the operating system.
It's understood that J1Assistant was developed under the leadership of the company's CTO, Zhu Yongsheng, and Luo Yonghao is reportedly dissatisfied with the product, leading to multiple internal redesigns. Industry insiders analyze that operating systems are complex, low-level system projects requiring substantial R&D investment and a highly specialized technical team. Luo Yonghao hopes the AI assistant's launch will secure a second round of funding; therefore, the next month is a crucial window. Successful funding would pave the way for the smooth progression of AIOS development and the planned AI phone.