In this fireside chat from Techonomy 24, Vinesh Sukumar, Head of AI at Qualcomm, discussed the rapid advancement and application of AI in mobile devices, highlighting Qualcomm’s innovations. Sukumar outlined how AI has transitioned from simple functions, like enhancing photo quality on smartphones, to more complex applications, such as productivity enhancement through voice commands and AI-driven suggestion systems.

Qualcomm’s focus, he noted, is on embedding AI capabilities directly into devices, which reduces the reliance on cloud infrastructure and enhances user privacy. This integration would extend beyond smartphones to automotive applications, where AI could serve as an intelligent interface for dashboard diagnostics, potentially transforming how drivers interact with their vehicles. Sukumar noted that a critical aspect of embedding AI on devices is managing the large memory footprint required by AI models. Qualcomm would address this challenge by optimizing models for smaller, more efficient footprints without losing accuracy.

Sukumar emphasized the importance of privacy, ensuring biometric data and personal preference information remain secure on the device. He also looked toward future developments such as appless environments, where voice-commanded AI agents execute tasks across interconnected devices, offering seamless user experiences as one moves between mobile, automotive, and computing devices.

Watch the Session