Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon says AI companies are "starting to do phones" and asking Qualcomm to support running 100B-parameter local LLMs continuously by 2028

Your phone will soon run large AI models locally, making it a more capable personal assistant.

Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon anticipates a new smartphone supercycle, driven by AI agents that will operate within users' applications and personal contexts. He reveals that AI companies are already approaching Qualcomm to develop mobile chips capable of continuously running 100-billion-parameter large language models by 2028. Amon believes these advanced AI capabilities will address pent-up consumer demand for new devices, particularly as upgrade cycles have lengthened due to rising memory costs. Qualcomm aims to leverage its expertise in efficient mobile chip design for AI infrastructure in data centers, acquiring Modular to offer developers an open software platform and reduce reliance on Nvidia's ecosystem. Furthermore, Amon envisions 6G technology enabling constant high-definition video uploads from devices like smart glasses and using radio signals for advanced sensing applications, with initial demonstrations expected around the 2028 Olympics.

Qualcomm's CEO forecasts a significant shift in mobile computing, where on-device AI processing for large language models becomes standard by 2028. This move indicates a strong industry push towards more autonomous and context-aware AI agents directly integrated into smartphones. The demand from AI companies for such capabilities suggests a future where personal devices are not just communication tools but active participants in managing daily tasks and information.

The company's strategy to build AI infrastructure hardware for data centers, coupled with the acquisition of Modular, signals an effort to unbundle software from hardware dominance, particularly challenging Nvidia's position. This approach aims to foster a more open ecosystem, allowing Qualcomm to compete directly on the performance and energy efficiency of its mobile-first chip designs. The concurrent advancement in 6G is poised to unlock new immersive experiences, transforming personal devices into constant data collectors for AI.