Lenovo’s robotic idea may help you digitally signal paperwork (and possibly annoy coworkers)

Lenovo can make a robot, too. Alongside proof-of-concept foldable gaming PCs and modular laptops, it launched the AI Workmate Idea at MWC 2026. With its personal Intel Core Extremely processor, 64GB of reminiscence and its personal Pico projector, it’s an AI-laced “workmate” meant to streamline workplace duties and collaboration. And it has an LCD face.

For now, it’s a proof of idea, musing on the right way to combine voice instructions and LLMs (giant language fashions) into office settings. It is meant to take a seat in your desk, however ideally additionally close to a wall – extra on that later.

Voice instructions apart, the idea bot helps writing, voice and gestures with on-device AI processing. Whereas it could actually reply the standard voice assistant questions, it could actually additionally scan and summarize paperwork (each digitally and bodily) and even help with making a PowerPoint presentation – although you may need to verify its work.

The three.4-inch 480 x 480 display screen doesn’t appear to supply any information visualization or numbers. Throughout my demo, it solely appeared to point out the bot’s eyes and facial expressions: it’ll sip espresso because it listens (with a moustache), cup a floating hand to the facet of its face when it wants you to repeat a command, or twinkle when it’s processing extra sophisticated duties, like that fictional PowerPoint presentation.

With its articulated head, which homes the projector, cameras and LCD face, you’ll be able to ask it to challenge photos or paperwork on both the desk in entrance of it or a wall close by. No must flip round your monitor or laptop computer to share with colleagues. In a single instance, a spokesperson requested for a postcard. The Workmate then projected a (Lenovo-branded) picture of Barcelona onto the desk. The rep laid paper down, then signed the ‘postcard’ and acquired the robotic to scan it (with two downward-facing 5-megapixel cameras), after which ship the file to a close-by printer.

In principle, this kind of circulate might transition to doc signing or including notation to pictures and recordsdata. Nonetheless, one caveat right here is whether or not these of us who work in places of work need the additional office noise of a chatty robo and the individual barking orders at it.

Lenovo says this idea (and it has a couple of at MWC) is supposed to show the corporate’s “exploration of spatial and bodily AI experiences” that combine “seamlessly into skilled environments.” Hopefully, additional evolutions supply a text-based method to make utilizing it rather less noisy.

Lenovo was additionally exhibiting a less complicated AI work machine, the AI Work Companion Idea. It’s a very completely different premise, regardless of the title being a bit of too near the AI Workmate Idea.

The AI Work Companion isn’t a robotic, however a good-looking chunky desk clock, with a stable, satisfying dial on the highest and programmable buttons. The entrance is sort of completely show, capable of present calendars, process lists and different work-centric dashes. It runs independently, plugging right into a USB-C port for energy and pulling information down wirelessly, whereas additionally appearing as a port hub for charging different equipment and units.

It’s definitely not as high-concept because the robotic, however there are some AI smarts inside.

The Work Companion’s “Thought Bubble” makes use of AI to sync a person’s duties and each day schedule throughout units, synthesizing a each day motion plan. It’ll even recommend occasions to interrupt up bursts of labor and try to watch display screen time to raised handle burnout.

In accordance with the press launch, Lenovo says it additionally has “playful interactions with the person” and can, type of bleakly, supply an end-of-week celebration report of duties accomplished. It’s fortunate it’s a handsome desk clock.