Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon recently shared that some of the top artificial intelligence companies are planning to build their own smartphones. These new devices will compete directly against established hardware giants like Apple and Samsung in the mobile market. Rather than just making software for other electronics brands, these growing software firms want to create custom devices that can run massive systems locally and continuously. This is a huge step forward that could change how we buy phones.
Software builders are creating new devices for heavy local computing
During a recent discussion, Amon explained the high hardware demands these software builders are asking for. He shared this detail regarding their plans.
“I have to be careful not to disclose names, but some AI companies, some of the companies at the forefront of AI, are telling Qualcomm, By 2028, I need to make sure that I have the ability to run at least a 100-billion-parameter model in a phone, and I need to have this thing running kind of all the time.” He added, “Well, AI companies are starting to do phones.”
While the executive kept quiet about specific names, looking at the market narrows down the likely candidates. The most recognized leaders in this space include OpenAI, Meta, and Anthropic. We already know that Google designs its own hardware through the Pixel lineup. This leaves other major software creators as the most probable groups preparing to release new consumer hardware.
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There have already been reports hinting at similar plans. Some rumors suggest that the team behind ChatGPT is working on various consumer electronics. This could include a smartphone intended to offer a different approach from the standard iPhone, along with screenless smart speakers and wearable pendants.
Packing a massive 100-billion-parameter system into a pocket device by 2028 will require huge jumps in memory and battery life. If these AI labs can solve the hardware puzzle, the smartphone market could see its biggest shift in years.
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