Qualcomm Developing Over 40 AI Agent Wearable Devices

What happened

Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon revealed during a CNBC interview that the company is developing more than 40 AI-powered device designs across multiple wearable categories. The designs include smart glasses, camera-equipped earbuds, watches, wearable pins, and connected jewelry. These devices are intended to remain with users throughout the day and provide access to AI agents - software assistants capable of handling tasks across different services and applications without requiring users to open individual apps. Amon emphasized that the company is redesigning its entire chip roadmap to support smaller, more power-efficient devices. He singled out smart glasses as particularly promising, noting shipments are already running in the tens of millions annually. The company also secured a multi-year deal with Snap's Specs unit in April to supply chips for upcoming smart glasses, extending an earlier partnership.

Why it matters

This development signals Qualcomm's strategic shift beyond smartphones, where it has long been the dominant chip supplier for Android devices from Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, and others. The company has set an ambitious target of $22 billion in non-mobile revenue by 2029, which requires meaningful traction in new device categories. By positioning itself early in the emerging wearables market - particularly smart glasses - Qualcomm aims to replicate its smartphone success in a potentially transformative new category. The focus on AI agents represents a fundamental shift in how users might interact with technology, moving from app-based navigation to intent-based task completion. If agents become the primary interface between users and digital services, as Amon predicts, the company that supplies the chips for agent-capable devices gains structural platform control outside the Apple ecosystem. This strategy could reduce Qualcomm's reliance on smartphone revenue and position it advantageously if the wearables market follows a smartphone-like adoption trajectory.

Bigger picture

Qualcomm's wearable push coincides with intensifying competition among major technology companies in smart glasses and AI agents. Meta has expanded its smart glasses lineup through its partnership with EssilorLuxottica, with reportedly strong demand for Ray-Ban smart glasses driving discussions about significantly increased production capacity. Apple recently unveiled updates to Siri and its broader software ecosystem at its Worldwide Developers Conference, emphasizing contextual assistance and task completion features across devices. Meanwhile, AI companies are increasingly entering hardware markets - OpenAI acquired io, the hardware startup founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive, to develop consumer devices. The broader industry is converging on the view that AI agents will become the primary way consumers interact with services, potentially diminishing the role of traditional apps and app stores. Wearable devices are seen as critical because they generate larger volumes of contextual data than existing systems, providing better training material for AI models. For Qualcomm, which supplies chips to most manufacturers competing outside the Apple ecosystem, this represents both an opportunity and a necessity as the smartphone market matures.

What to watch

Monitor Qualcomm's progress toward its $22 billion non-mobile revenue target by 2029, particularly contributions from wearable device categories. Watch for commercial launches of the 40+ device designs currently in development and announcements of additional partnerships beyond the existing Snap Specs deal. Track smart glasses shipment volumes to assess whether the category continues scaling from its current tens of millions annually toward mass-market adoption. Pay attention to Qualcomm's upcoming investor day presentations for details on its redesigned chip roadmap for smaller, power-efficient devices. Observe competitive developments from Meta, Apple, and other platform players in both smart glasses hardware and AI agent software, as these will shape the ecosystem Qualcomm's chips must support. Finally, watch whether AI agents gain meaningful consumer adoption and whether they indeed begin to replace app-based interactions as Amon predicts, as this thesis underpins much of Qualcomm's diversification strategy.