Vertu, the UK-based luxury phone maker, has released its latest offering, the Alphafold. Priced at $6,880, it comes with a pre-installed AI agent called Hermes Agent, which promises to automate tasks and act as a digital companion for executives.

The Alphafold boasts premium materials such as genuine calfskin leather and titanium accents, setting it apart from more mainstream foldable phones. However, beneath the luxury veneer lies hardware that shares similarities with ZTE Nubia models, albeit with custom luxury touches and software experience provided by Vertu.

During my testing, Hermes Agent impressed in analyzing files and automating multi-step workflows. It excelled in managing documents, planning business trips, and handling routine tasks. However, it also showed limitations when faced with complex decision-making scenarios, often requiring human intervention to clarify actions.

The true test of Vertu’s AI agent lies in its ability to replace an executive assistant. Despite its impressive capabilities, the Alphafold still requires user input for critical decisions, indicating that it may not fully automate executive workflows as envisioned by Vertu.