Can generative artificial intelligence save the smartphone industry?

Generative artificial intelligence has recently emerged as a significant trend in the smartphone industry and has the potential to transform the way users interact with their devices.

It can play a role in improving user experience, personalizing recommendations and providing innovative features. However, whether it can “save” the smartphone industry is a question that requires a complex answer.

How does generative artificial intelligence work?

Generative artificial intelligence it works by using a combination of two types of neural networks: generators and discriminators. A generator is a neural network that takes certain input data (such as noise or text) and tries to generate new data (such as an image or song) that resembles the input data. A discriminator is another neural network that takes both the input data and the generated data and tries to distinguish between them.

The generator and discriminator compete with each other in a process called adversarial training. The generator tries to fool the discriminator by producing more realistic data, while the discriminator tries to improve its accuracy by detecting false data. The result is that both networks improve over time and produce high-quality data.

Generative artificial intelligence offers several options for smartphones:

• Improved user experience: Generative artificial intelligence running on the device enables models artificial intelligence to function locally on smartphones, reducing dependence on the Internet. This opens up new applications and personalized experiences tailored to individual user patterns.
• New applications: Functionalities such as voice assistantsgenerating images using artificial intelligence based on text inputs, simulations, and extending the content of images using artificial intelligence can provide new applications that go beyond traditional games and photographic functions.
• Power efficiency: Running generative artificial intelligence efficiently on smartphones while managing power and memory usage is a significant challenge. This can drive innovation in hardware design and computing cores for artificial intelligence.
• Software Collaboration: Collaboration between software development companies and AI model providers is key. Qualcomm seems to have an advantage in this field, with the partnership of major players in the technology industry.

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However, whether generative artificial intelligence can save the smartphone industry depends on various factors:

• Consumer adoption: While generative AI holds promise, it remains to be seen how quickly consumers will embrace these new features and whether they will actually find them useful in their daily lives.
• Competition: As mentioned, Qualcomm is not the only player in this field. Google, Apple and others are also investing in generative artificial intelligence on devices. Competition is fierce, and the success of these technologies will depend on execution and diversity.
• Software ecosystem: As generative artificial intelligence becomes increasingly important to the smartphone experience, a robust and diverse ecosystem of software applications and services will be critical.
• Market Dynamics: The smartphone market is affected by many factors, including economic conditions, consumer preferences, and global events. Generative artificial intelligence is only one aspect of this complex industry.
• Privacy and Security: The use of artificial intelligence in smartphones also raises privacy and security concerns. How these concerns are addressed will affect consumer confidence and acceptance.

At the Snapdragon Summit, Qualcomm made it clear that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 will be geared towards generative artificial intelligence. It can be predicted that generative artificial intelligence will become a field of fierce competition between Qualcomm and MediaTek– and in the future.

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In fact, Qualcomm is actively promoting the trend of introducing generative artificial intelligence from the first half of 2023. A key part of their promotion is that Stable Diffusion can be used on Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in offline mode. However, for the consumer market, a single application of generative artificial intelligence is not enough to convince users to adopt it.

Of course, Qualcomm realized that too. At the Snapdragon Summit, they presented different models of generative artificial intelligence applications. Among them, seeking professional advice through voice assistants is the most intuitive and prominent application.

Qualcomm-a CEO, Christiano Amon, believes that generative artificial intelligence will redefine all personal mobile devices. Previous application-based usage scenarios will instead focus on artificial intelligence operations, providing notifications, reminders and consultations tailored to individual needs.

These features will allow consumers to truly realize the practical benefits of artificial intelligence. He also predicted that he would generative AI to be the savior of the entire smart mobile device industry.

However, in addition to the need for sufficient computing power on the hardware side, as well as optimizing power consumption and memory usage, collaboration and joint development between software development companies and AI model providers are equally important. Major integrated circuit design companies have acknowledged that in the age of generative artificial intelligence, software technology is likely to be more important than hardware technology.

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Qualcomm really has an edge on the software side. From Microsoft, Google and Meta to Chinese AI model providers and startup teams developing generative AI applications, everyone has collaborated with Qualcomm– this one Snapdragon 8 Gen3. For competitors like Apple and MediaTek, it is likely to face a lot of pressure in the AI ​​sector in the future.