Qualcomm CEO says AI agents will replace apps — as chip giant works on 40 new AI-powered devices

Qualcomm is working on over 40 designs of new AI devices, CEO Cristiano Amon told CNBC, as the chip designer prepares for a wave of "agents" across consumer electronics. In a wide-ranging interview on CNBC's "The Tech Download" podcast, Amon laid out his views on the changing role of smartphones and apps, why smart glasses could be the next major consumer device, new types of electronics that will hit the market, and how chip architectures will need to change for even smaller gadgets. Amon's comments, which also alluded to new entrants in the consumer market, could have implications for the way major smartphone players like Apple and Samsung will need to compete as AI proliferates devices. "I think there's going to be a lot of experimentation with different form factors," Amon said on "The Tech Download." "Right now, we have over 40 designs of those devices, and I'm telling you, the types of form factors are very, very broad." Amon said these wearable tech devices include jewelry, earbuds with cameras, pins, and watches. "The principle is something that you wear, something [that] is with you all the time, something that can see the world around you, so you have context and have the ability for you to access an agent and talk to the agent," Amon said. AI agents Agents are seen as the next step for digital assistants like Apple's Siri or Google Gemini. …