Qualcomm Developing 40 New AI Device Designs

Qualcomm is actively developing over 40 distinct designs for next-generation AI-powered devices, signaling a significant shift towards intelligent “agents” embedded within consumer electronics. This strategic push underscores the chip giant’s vision for a future where personal technology is more proactive and contextually aware.

In a recent interview, Qualcomm’s CEO, Cristiano Amon, elaborated on the evolving landscape of personal technology. He discussed the changing dynamics of smartphones and applications, the potential ascendancy of smart glasses as a primary consumer device, and the architectural innovations required for increasingly compact yet powerful gadgets. His insights shed light on how chip design must adapt to accommodate the burgeoning era of artificial intelligence.

Amon’s observations, which hinted at new entrants emerging in the consumer hardware space, suggest a potential disruption for established players like Apple and Samsung. The widespread integration of AI across devices will necessitate a reimagining of competitive strategies within the mobile ecosystem.

“We anticipate a significant period of experimentation with diverse form factors,” Amon stated. “Currently, we are engaged with more than 40 device designs, and I can confidently say that the range of these form factors is exceptionally broad.”

These innovative wearable technologies span a wide spectrum, including sophisticated jewelry, earbuds equipped with advanced camera capabilities, discrete pins, and reimagined smartwatches.

“The core principle is to create devices that are worn, that remain with the user continuously, and that possess the ability to perceive the surrounding environment,” Amon explained. “This contextual awareness empowers users to seamlessly interact with and command AI agents.”

The concept of AI agents represents a substantial leap forward from current digital assistants like Siri and Google Gemini. The technology sector is investing heavily in the belief that these agents will be capable of executing complex, multi-step tasks across a multitude of applications and services, ranging from personal scheduling to intricate travel arrangements.

Amon provided a compelling example: an AI agent that can instantly retrieve detailed banking transaction histories without requiring the user to manually navigate through complex app interfaces. This capability points to a future where user interaction paradigms will fundamentally transform as agents take on an increasingly prominent role in task execution.

“Applications are not becoming obsolete,” Amon clarified. “However, their role is set to evolve. These agents will essentially become the new applications, serving as the primary interface for users to interact with digital services.”

The anticipated proliferation of AI agents and the resultant evolution of application interaction could profoundly reshape the relationship users have with their smartphones, thereby creating fertile ground for new device categories to gain widespread adoption.

AI agents are poised to assume a central role in users’ digital lives, potentially diminishing the smartphone’s current dominance.

“The smartphone will increasingly become a peripheral device, centered around the agent. Similarly, emerging classes of devices will also be built around these agents, which will possess the capability to interpret human intentions and execute tasks on our behalf,” Amon explained. “This signifies a fundamental shift in the locus of control within our digital ecosystems. While phones may not disappear entirely, their function will undoubtedly transform.”

Qualcomm’s CEO expressed strong optimism regarding the future of smart glasses, a product category with the potential to rival smartphones in terms of market scale. Current annual shipments for smart glasses are already in the “tens of millions,” Amon indicated. He projected that within “a couple of years,” this figure could escalate to the “hundreds of millions,” potentially matching the ubiquity of smartphones.

Global smartphone shipments reached 1.26 billion units in 2025, representing a modest year-over-year increase of approximately 3%, according to Counterpoint Research. This indicates a mature but still growing market, presenting an opportunity for disruptive innovations.

Leading technology companies, including Meta and Samsung, are actively developing smart glasses equipped with advanced camera and AI functionalities, signaling a concentrated industry effort to advance this nascent market.

The ongoing transformation in personal devices is creating significant opportunities for novel companies to enter the consumer hardware arena, Amon observed.

Last year, OpenAI’s acquisition of io, a hardware startup founded by the renowned Apple designer Jony Ive, underscored the AI giant’s strategic intent to establish a presence in the consumer device market. This move highlights a broader trend of AI-centric companies seeking direct control over hardware platforms.

“All wearable devices serve as critical endpoints for AI agents. Consequently, AI companies recognize the imperative to secure these endpoints to solidify their agent-based ecosystems,” Amon explained, articulating the rationale behind non-traditional hardware companies venturing into gadget development.

Another significant driver for new entrants in the hardware sector is data acquisition. Amon emphasized that these advanced devices will generate data at a scale that is “exponentially larger” than what is currently used to train AI models. This data richness is crucial for refining existing AI capabilities and developing new ones.

“Therefore, these companies are keen to access this data, as it is indispensable for training future AI models and for crafting highly personalized AI experiences tailored to individual users,” Amon noted.

As device form factors continue to shrink and evolve towards greater portability, the underlying chip architectures must also advance. These chips will need to deliver enhanced processing power while simultaneously optimizing energy efficiency to support extended operational lifespans in smaller devices.

“Our entire product roadmap is currently undergoing a comprehensive upgrade,” Amon revealed. “This extensive overhaul is driven by the conviction that current devices are not adequately equipped to meet the demands of the future AI-driven landscape.”