Big tech companies seem determined to change the way we interact with consumer electronics. Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon recently shared his vision for the future of mobile tech, suggesting that AI agents are poised to become the new apps. Rather than completely killing off traditional software, these advanced assistants will handle complex, multi-step tasks on our behalf.
A massive wave of new hardware designs
To support this upcoming wave of digital assistants, Qualcomm is actively helping build the physical endpoints they will live in. During an interview on CNBC’s “The Tech Download” podcast, Amon revealed that the semiconductor giant is currently working on more than 40 distinct AI hardware designs.
These upcoming gadgets go far beyond the traditional rectangular glass slab in your pocket. The company’s roadmap includes alternative form factors like smart jewelry, watches, pins, and even earbuds equipped with built-in cameras. These designs aim to create unobtrusive, always-on wearables, capable of understanding the surrounding world. They capture real-time context so you can “chat” with your digital assistant naturally.
Amon is particularly enthusiastic about smart glasses, predicting they could eventually rival smartphones on a global scale. Major brands like Meta and Samsung are already pushing into this space. However, Amon believes annual smart glasses shipments could jump from tens of millions to hundreds of millions of units over the next few years.
Why the chip roadmap is changing
This transformation is also drawing non-traditional tech companies into the hardware playground. For instance, OpenAI recently acquired the hardware startup io—founded by former Apple designer Jony Ive—to build its own dedicated consumer gadgets. According to Amon, these AI firms recognize the need to control physical endpoints to capture user data. The data generated by these daily wearables will scale exponentially. It could even provide the necessary fuel to train future, highly customized language models.
Of course, shrinking advanced smart tech into a pair of glasses or a piece of jewelry requires a massive step forward in underlying hardware. Smaller form factors demand processing components that are both significantly more powerful and highly energy efficient. To meet this challenge, Qualcomm is currently updating its entire processing roadmap. The firm admitted today’s mobile chips simply are not prepared for the interconnected future that lies ahead.
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