At its annual Snapdragon Summit in Maui, Hawaii, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon unveiled the company’s vision for the next generation of wireless connectivity, projecting that the first “pre-commercial devices” with 6G capability could arrive by 2028.
The successor to 5G, Amon argued, will be critical in enabling the next phase of artificial intelligence, powering everything from XR glasses to AI-driven wearables, according to Gizmodo.
“The amount of data will dwarf the existence of models,” Amon said, positioning 6G as essential infrastructure for “agentic AI” systems that can carry out complex, multi-step tasks. Qualcomm, whose chips already power Android smartphones, Google’s Pixel Watch 4, Meta’s Ray-Ban Display smart glasses, and Xreal’s upcoming “Project Aura,” sees 6G as the connective fabric binding these devices together.
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Unlike today’s networks, which mostly deliver faster download speeds, 6G will require a fundamental shift in architecture. Qualcomm executives said new memory systems and more advanced neural processing units (NPUs) will be needed to handle AI workloads in real time. In the future, smartphones may act less as standalone gadgets and more as central hubs distributing AI-powered services to a growing ecosystem of wearable devices.
Yet while Qualcomm is making the case for 6G as indispensable to AI’s future, it admits the rollout will be slow. Pre-commercial devices may appear in 2028, but fully consumer-ready 6G products are unlikely before 2030. That uncertainty reflects a broader industry question: will AI features embedded in new hardware be compelling enough to convince users to upgrade? Early evidence suggests consumers remain cautious—many still find AI-enabled smartphones like the Pixel 10 sufficient for their needs.
China pulling ahead
Globally, however, the race toward 6G is accelerating, and early signs suggest China is setting the pace. Chinese telecom operators have already conducted multiple large-scale trials, launched experimental satellites to test 6G signals, and set 2030 as their target for nationwide rollout. Huawei and ZTE are both leading R&D efforts, and Beijing has tied 6G development to its broader strategy of technological self-sufficiency.
By comparison, the U.S. approach has been more fragmented. Qualcomm’s roadmap emphasizes AI integration, while Washington is only beginning to outline a national 6G strategy amid ongoing disputes with China over control of wireless supply chains. Europe, meanwhile, is channeling billions of euros into research consortia under its Horizon framework, hoping to avoid falling behind both Washington and Beijing.
While Qualcomm insists 6G is vital for the AI era, China is positioning the technology as a foundation for global digital dominance—an ambition that raises the stakes for U.S. firms.
AI Energy and infrastructure challenges
The energy demands of AI remain daunting. Nvidia recently announced a $100 billion partnership with OpenAI to build vast new cloud systems by 2026, projects that will require unprecedented electricity. Amon warned that if wireless connectivity lags, it could create bottlenecks for these AI ambitions.
Qualcomm chips already underpin much of the Android ecosystem, and the company argues that anchoring 6G to AI-readiness is the best way to stay ahead of consumer and industrial needs—even if no one yet knows what the “killer app” will be.
For consumers, that means 6G remains a distant promise. Qualcomm projects that the first real devices will not reach mass markets until close to 2030. Until then, the company’s strategy is to prepare the ground, even as rivals abroad push aggressively to set the global standard first.
The stakes extend well beyond faster connections. If China maintains its lead in setting 6G standards, it could give Beijing outsized influence over the technologies that underpin the next wave of AI, reshaping the balance of power in digital infrastructure. Qualcomm’s message from Maui was clear: the U.S. cannot afford to lag.