Zhipu AI, best known for its foundational models and enterprise AI services, has been quietly developing its own consumer hardware. Internal codenames include ZAI-P1, ZAI-M2, and ZAI-N1. In February 2026, the ZAI-P1 quietly obtained a network access trial certificate from China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) — the equivalent of a birth certificate for connecting to public telecom networks. The application and production entity is Zhipu's wholly-owned subsidiary, Chengdu Zhipu Huazhang. This means the device is certified for 4G cellular connectivity, a prerequisite for selling the product in China.
But a trial certificate doesn't mean you can buy it tomorrow. Under Chinese telecom device regulations, the trial certificate only confirms that the device's communication performance passes tests. A period of trial operation and further verification is needed before applying for a full network access license. So we're likely still months away from any retail launch. Perhaps more telling is the device's manufacturing partner: Shenzhen Tuopu Education Electronics Multimedia Co., Ltd. Tuopu specializes in smart early childhood education products for ages 0-6, including electronic learning machines, student tablets, story machines, mobile tutoring devices, and smart watches.
Given the OEM's focus, Zhipu's first physical hardware is almost certainly not going to be yet another smartphone or a general-purpose AI gadget. Instead, it looks like the company is targeting the early education vertical, possibly launching an 'AI early education machine' or 'AI learning tablet.' This marks Zhipu's formal entry into consumer hardware — an attempt to embed its large language models directly into a physical device, rather than serving them from the cloud.