Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon: AI Evolution Is “Incredibly Exciting”

Qualcomm President and CEO Cristiano Amon recently shared his enthusiasm for the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) during the 2025 China Development Forum. Highlighting breakthrough innovations like DeepSeek, Amon noted that AI is entering a transformative new phase—one where Qualcomm aims to deepen its collaborations with Chinese partners.

“We are at a turning point,” Amon said. “We expect to see a new upgrade cycle driven by AI-powered smartphones. Technology will play a crucial role in driving economic growth, and the future looks incredibly exciting.”

DeepSeek-R1 and the Shift Toward On-Device AI

Earlier this year, Qualcomm released its AI White Paper, recognizing the launch of DeepSeek-R1 as a significant milestone in the tech world. The model sparked industry-wide interest by challenging long-held assumptions about AI development.

Qualcomm emphasized that next-generation models like DeepSeek-R1 are not only becoming more powerful but also smaller, more efficient, and increasingly capable of running directly on edge devices. In fact, distilled versions of DeepSeek-R1 were able to operate on Snapdragon-powered smartphones and PCs within days of release, demonstrating the platform’s readiness for real-time, on-device AI inference.

The Future of AI Is at the Edge

Amon reiterated Qualcomm's vision that AI inference will increasingly take place on-device, making AI more accessible, customizable, and efficient. This shift is expected to bring smarter user experiences, improved privacy, and reduced dependence on cloud infrastructure.

As Qualcomm continues to invest in AI innovation across smartphones, PCs, IoT, and automotive, its partnerships with Chinese tech companies are expected to play a critical role in shaping the AI-driven digital economy of the future.