Qualcomm says agentic AI devices will underpin 6G demand, maintaining its 2029 commercialization timeline.
Qualcomm presented agentic AI devices as a foundation for 6G connectivity demand, arguing that the continuous exchange of inference processing between on-device and cloud systems creates fundamentally different connectivity requirements than smartphones. Durga Malladi, Qualcomm senior vice president and head of technology planning, edge solutions and the data centre division, explained at a Snapdragon Summit 2026 media roundtable in Maui on September 22 that agentic AI devices—defined as devices in which an agent handles tasks on behalf of the user—would drive this shift. "Connectivity requirements are very different," Malladi said, describing how these devices continuously exchange inference between local processing and data centre workloads.
Qualcomm identified emerging demand from new device makers seeking to connect devices and cloud infrastructure for distributed processing. Alibaba exemplified this trend: the company, historically a cloud provider, has become an original equipment manufacturer (OEM). Malladi noted that these new OEMs prioritize always-on cloud connectivity over peak data rates, focusing instead on reliable links to support continuous on-device inference.
While agentic AI devices are already launching with 5G connectivity, Qualcomm expects 6G to unlock new functionality. As these devices evolve, their connectivity demands will diverge significantly from smartphones and fixed wireless access, eventually requiring 6G capabilities. Malladi forecast that agentic AI devices unveiled at the summit—including laptops, smartphones and smart glasses—would develop into 6G devices within approximately three years. He emphasized that 5G's focus on high data rates will give way to 6G's focus on enabling new use cases.
Qualcomm's 6G framework rests on three pillars: connectivity, wide-area sensing and network high-performance computing. The company presented this structure as the "6G foundation axis" at Mobile World Congress earlier this year. The high-performance computing segment, Malladi stressed, has progressed from the vision stage to commercial product planning. Qualcomm intends to apply CPU and AI accelerator products from its recently entered data centre business to telecommunications networks. Wide-area sensing is currently being tested at Qualcomm's prototype testbed in San Diego and at overseas sites with key partners, with the goal of building a world model of the network using sensing data to enable network automation.
Qualcomm has secured 60 partners committed to participating in 6G commercialisation in 2029, including all three South Korean mobile carriers, which shared the view that significant additional investment in network AI is necessary. Malladi stated that he visited South Korea in July to discuss cooperation with key domestic partners and would announce additional details soon. The company maintains a firm commitment to its 2029 commercialisation timeline and is working backward from that date: early research and development and prototype testing in 2027, pre-commercial devices and testing in 2028, and commercialisation in 2029.
As part of its preparation schedule, Qualcomm plans a 6G technology demonstration with partners at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, positioned as a pre-commercialisation technology showcase. Malladi said additional announcements regarding 6G partners would be disclosed at Mobile World Congress 2027.