Overview
Qualcomm said it intends to carry over chip technology created for data centers into smartphones and other consumer devices, positioning the design to boost how artificial intelligence runs locally on mobile hardware. The company revealed the plan through comments by Executive Vice President Durga Malladi in an interview with Semafor.
New data center push
The chip designer formally entered the data center chip market this week by announcing a new line of data center processors. Malladi noted the sector is currently contending with supply shortages and robust competition. "What starts in data centers is not going to end there," she said, describing the intention to extend developments beyond the cloud.
Technology details
At the core of Qualcomm's announcement is a High Bandwidth Compute architecture that stacks chips vertically rather than arranging them side by side. This stacked configuration brings memory and compute components into closer physical proximity, which the company says improves data speed and flow within the chip package.
Qualcomm is already in discussions with manufacturers of smartphones, personal computers, and cars about the new data center technology portfolio, according to Malladi. While the firm has emphasized outreach to multiple device categories, Malladi did not specify when the High Bandwidth Compute approach would be integrated into smartphones or other non-data-center products.
Timeline and rollout
The company expects the first generation of the new architecture to launch in data centers next year, and it anticipates commercial availability in 2028. No timing was provided for adoption in handheld devices.
Implications for mobile AI
Chip stacking is currently concentrated in data center environments rather than in smartphones. Qualcomm described a potential path where, if the technology reaches handheld devices, users could run a greater number of AI models locally and operate agents in an "always on" mode without draining the battery. The company had lagged in data center technology for several years but retains a strong position owing to its long history producing smartphone chips.
Quote
"What starts in data centers is not going to end there," Malladi said, signaling Qualcomm's intent to move innovations across device categories.