Qualcomm, a leader in application processors (AP), is confident in its ability to drive the adoption of on-device artificial intelligence (AI) through enhanced performance and power efficiency. On-device AI enables AI applications to run directly on devices, reducing power consumption by bypassing AI servers and enhancing security by avoiding cloud-based data storage. However, high performance and power efficiency are crucial, as generative AI must process large amounts of data independently of the cloud.
During his visit to Seoul for the Smartcloud Show, a leading IT forum, Qualcomm Senior Vice President Durga Malladi shared the company’s latest advancements in an exclusive interview with ChosunBiz. “Qualcomm’s Neural Processing Unit (NPU), which powers on-device AI, offers industry-leading performance with extremely low power consumption,” said Malladi, who oversees Qualcomm’s technology planning and edge solutions. At the event on Sept. 5, Malladi also delivered a keynote titled “Enabling Intelligent Computing Everywhere.”
With AI becoming increasingly integral to smartphones, Qualcomm is supplying high-performance APs to global smartphone manufacturers. The company recently expanded its on-device AI product lineup with the Snapdragon 7s series, following its flagship Snapdragon 8 series, which powers Samsung’s Galaxy S24. This month, major brands like Xiaomi, Samsung, Realme, and Sharp are set to launch smartphones equipped with Qualcomm’s AI-supported products.
Beyond mobile APs, Qualcomm is venturing into on-device AI for PCs, introducing processors for AI-driven tasks like Microsoft’s new AI assistant, Copilot+. “When running generative AI on smartphones and PCs, optimized processors are essential,” Malladi explained. “Qualcomm leads the industry not only with NPUs but also with our CPUs and GPUs, allowing us to support all kinds of generative AI services directly on devices.”
To accelerate the spread of on-device AI, Qualcomm is also expanding its mid- and low-tier processor offerings. On Sept. 4, CEO Cristiano Amon unveiled the Snapdragon X series, a budget processor for AI PCs, during the IFA 2024 event in Berlin. This collaboration with brands like Samsung, Lenovo, Dell, and Asus aims to deliver AI-enabled laptops priced between 900,000 and 1 million won ($900–1,000).
“The key is how quickly generative AI will expand from premium devices to mid- and low-tier ones,” Malladi said. “As Amon announced at IFA 2024, Qualcomm is committed to making generative AI available across all IT platforms, from mobile devices and laptops to virtual reality, the Internet of Things (IoT), and automotive applications.”
The on-device AI market is expected to grow rapidly. What are Qualcomm’s strengths in this area?
“The industry is shifting from simple on-device AI to ‘on-device generative AI.’ Generative AI is now being incorporated into consumer devices like smartphones and, more recently, AI PCs. In addition to performance, power efficiency is crucial since these devices need to maintain high performance while minimizing power consumption. Qualcomm’s NPU leads the industry not only in performance but also in power efficiency, measured by ‘performance per watt.’ Along with NPUs, our CPUs and GPUs are top-tier, and their combination allows us to support all kinds of generative AI services on devices.”
AI applications and models are evolving rapidly. What is Qualcomm’s strategy to keep up?
“Last year, Qualcomm demonstrated that we could efficiently run a large language model (LLM) with 7 billion parameters on devices. A key performance indicator (KPI) for AI models is how quickly they can generate output (measured by Time to First Token, or TTFT), and we achieved a TTFT of less than 2 milliseconds. We continue to collaborate with partners to maintain high performance and improve power efficiency as AI models become more diverse.”
Will processors like the Snapdragon X series speed up the adoption of on-device AI?
“I expect generative AI will be embedded in all types of flagship smartphones and PCs going forward. Beyond mobile and PCs, we’re also seeing AI expand into industrial IoT devices. This is an irreversible trend. With the launch of the Snapdragon X series and other mid- and low-tier products, I believe on-device AI adoption will accelerate. Qualcomm is expanding its product lineup to ensure that on-device AI reaches all sectors, from mobile and PCs to IoT and automotive.”
What next-generation devices do you expect to stand out as on-device AI advances?
“One trend we’ve observed is the increasing use of voice commands instead of physical touch for device operation. Generative AI-powered voice assistants have advanced significantly compared to those from six or eight years ago. We expect to see more devices that rely solely on voice commands. Qualcomm doesn’t produce devices directly, but we provide platforms that enable new kinds of devices to emerge.”
