Qualcomm Unveils New Snapdragon Chips to Power On-Device AI

Semiconductor giant Qualcomm has unveiled two new flagship processors at its annual ‘Snapdragon Summit’, designed to boost artificial intelligence (AI) performance in smartphones. The ‘Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6’ and its premium variant, the ‘Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6’, focus primarily on enhancing personalised user experiences through AI agents.

The chipsets feature a new ‘Sensing Hub’ capable of running small AI models with up to 200 million parameters locally, without an internet or cloud connection.

As a result, smartphones will be able to recognise users’ voices and take notes, suggest tasks based on usage patterns, and run automated voice-based AI directly on the device with greater ease.

Extreme Version, Camera and Audio Features

The more powerful ‘Extreme’ version can process a 30-billion-parameter ‘Mixture-of-Experts’ AI model directly on the device, making the process faster and more cost-efficient.

For photography and videography, the processor offers pixel-level control, enhanced stabilisation, 8K video recording at 60 frames per second and 4K ultra-slow-motion video at 240 frames per second. It also features Qualcomm’s proprietary ‘Voice Bubble’ technology to eliminate unwanted background noise during voice calls.

First Smartphone and a Shift in Market Thinking

At the event, smartphone maker Motorola officially announced the first use of the new technology, saying its upcoming ‘Motorola Signature 27’ flagship phone will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 processor.

Qualcomm believes users can get the full benefits of AI directly from their smartphones rather than relying on separate AI gadgets.

The growing shift toward this approach among Apple and brands popular with Gen Z suggests that the future mobile market is increasingly moving toward fully on-device AI technology.

//DBTech/BMT/OR//