Qualcomm CEO says AI agents will reshape smartphones, 6G to power next leap

Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon (Courtesy: Reuters file photo)

AI will fundamentally reshape the mobile industry, placing intelligent agents at the center of the user experience, while 6G will usher in the next major transformation of telecom with faster speeds, lower latency and wider coverage, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon said.

Speaking about what he described as the “next chapter of AI,” Amon said artificial intelligence is rapidly evolving from chatbot-style interactions into an ambient layer of computing that will be embedded across devices and networks. Instead of navigating apps and operating systems, users will increasingly rely on AI agents that understand intent, context and preferences — and act on their behalf.

“The agent becomes the platform,” Amon indicated, arguing that value in the mobile ecosystem will shift from traditional app-centric models to AI-driven interfaces that can move seamlessly across smartphones, smart glasses, wearables and other connected devices.

He said AI is fundamentally changing the human-computer interface. Rather than learning keyboards, touch gestures or menus, users will interact naturally through voice, vision and text — with devices capable of understanding what they see, hear and say. This shift, he suggested, will redefine how services are delivered and how digital experiences are structured.

At the same time, Amon positioned 6G as more than just an incremental upgrade over 5G. While improvements in speed, latency and coverage are expected, he said the real transformation lies in embedding AI capabilities into the telecom network itself.

According to Amon, 6G networks will evolve into large-scale sensing and intelligence platforms. Beyond connecting devices to the internet, networks will be able to interpret signals from the physical world, enabling new services across transportation, smart cities, industrial automation and drone management. The integration of AI into network infrastructure, he said, could be as significant as the historic shift from voice-centric 2G networks to data-driven mobile broadband.

He also pushed back against the industry’s “cloud versus edge” debate, arguing that future AI workloads will be distributed seamlessly. Some tasks will require instant on-device processing for privacy and responsiveness, while others will leverage the scale of cloud data centers — all working together invisibly to the user.

For Qualcomm, the shift aligns with its strategy of building chips across devices, from smartphones and wearables to PCs and infrastructure. As AI becomes pervasive, Amon said the company aims to enable partners across industries to innovate in an increasingly intelligent, always-connected world.