Qualcomm launches two new smartphone chips with emphasis on AI

Your phone's ability to run sophisticated AI tasks locally improves significantly, potentially reducing reliance on cloud processing and enhancing privacy for AI features.

Qualcomm has unveiled two new flagship smartphone processors, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6, both designed with a significant emphasis on artificial intelligence capabilities. These new chips feature advanced sensing hubs capable of running smaller AI models locally, enabling features like a personal scribe, speaker differentiation, and personalized suggestions for task automation. The Elite Extreme version can process a 30 billion parameter mixture-of-experts (MoE) model locally, a notable advancement over existing mobile AI processing. The processors also introduce enhancements for camera functionalities, including pixel-level control, improved stabilization, and support for high-resolution video recording and advanced codecs. Additionally, both chips incorporate AI for vocal enhancement and noise reduction, alongside Qualcomm's new voice bubble technology for call clarity. Motorola has already announced its upcoming Signature 27 smartphone will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6.

The introduction of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and Extreme Gen 6 marks a pivotal moment for on-device AI, with the Extreme variant capable of running a 30B MoE model locally. This leap in local processing power allows for more complex AI functionalities, such as advanced personal assistants and real-time intelligent camera features, directly on smartphones. This move directly challenges the trend of cloud-based AI processing for mobile devices, suggesting a future where privacy and performance gains from local computation become a primary differentiator for flagship devices.

The integration of enhanced camera controls and advanced video recording capabilities, powered by AI, signals a shift towards empowering pro-level content creation directly from smartphones. This development could reduce the need for dedicated professional camera equipment for many users and content creators. Furthermore, Qualcomm's focus on AI for improved audio and call quality addresses a common pain point, indicating a broader strategy to embed AI across all user interaction points on a mobile device, making them more intuitive and capable.