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Qualcomm, a leading provider of memory chips, is preparing for the day when AI agents rather than smartphones will be driving consumer decisions, CEO Cristiano Amon said Monday at Semafor World Economy in Washington, DC.
“2026 is going to be the year of agents,” Amon said, referring to technology systems that can autonomously perform complex tasks on a user’s computer or device using AI models.
Amon said AI agents, and not smartphones, will soon be at the “center of the digital experience.”
“So the agents that you choose to use are going to be the ones that are going to be very relevant,” he added.
Qualcomm has an estimated 25% of the smartphone chip market and is preparing for a future with AI-powered devices.
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Qualcomm’s stock is down about 25% this year as the AI boom triggers a global memory chip shortage. The company is responding with share buybacks and new investments.
Amon acknowledged a “temporary constraint” on memory chip supply for smartphones, but argued that it will lead to innovation in building “completely new architectures that are going to be more memory efficient.”