Qualcomm Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Don McGuire has outlined a vision for the next stage of artificial intelligence, describing a shift from conventional AI assistants toward systems that can understand context, coordinate tasks and take actions on behalf of users with permission.
Qualcomm refers to this emerging period as the Agentic Age. The company’s recent Snapdragon Summit 2026 discussions focused heavily on agentic AI, on-device intelligence and the role of computing across smartphones, personal computers, cars, wearables and other connected devices. McGuire opened the summit with a focus on partnerships and the importance of an ecosystem in bringing these technologies to consumers.
The idea behind agentic AI is different from the traditional chatbot model. Conventional AI systems generally respond to a question or instruction provided by a user. Agentic systems are being developed to understand a broader objective, determine the steps required to complete it and potentially carry out those steps through connected applications and services.
For example, an AI agent could eventually help a user organise a schedule, find information, manage communications or coordinate activities across multiple applications. The user would still need to define permissions and controls, particularly when an AI system is allowed to take actions rather than simply provide information.
Qualcomm says this transition will require computing to become more distributed. Instead of relying entirely on remote cloud servers, some AI processing can take place directly on devices. Smartphones, PCs, cars, earbuds, smart glasses and other connected products can increasingly include processors designed to perform AI tasks locally.
This approach can offer potential benefits such as faster responses, reduced dependence on continuous cloud connectivity and greater control over some types of personal information. Qualcomm has been positioning its Snapdragon platforms around this combination of on-device AI, connectivity and computing performance.
At Snapdragon Summit 2026, Qualcomm described its latest mobile platforms as being designed for the next generation of agentic AI experiences. The company highlighted the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Mobile Platforms, along with AI capabilities intended to support personalised on-device agents.
McGuire’s message also placed considerable emphasis on partnerships. Qualcomm does not view the development of agentic AI as something that can be completed by one company alone. Device manufacturers, software developers, cloud providers, connectivity companies, application developers and other technology partners will all have roles in building an ecosystem around AI agents.
The company argues that an AI agent needs to work across different devices and services rather than remain restricted to a single application. A user may interact with an AI assistant through a smartphone in one situation, a PC in another and a vehicle or wearable device at another time.
This broader ecosystem approach is particularly relevant to India, where smartphones and digital services have become important parts of everyday life. Qualcomm has previously highlighted India’s large connected population, developer ecosystem and engineering capabilities as factors that could influence the country’s role in the next stage of AI development.
Qualcomm President and CEO Cristiano Amon wrote in February 2026 that India’s size, diversity, economic growth and digital momentum make the country an important market for AI’s next phase. He also pointed to India’s large user base and software and engineering talent as factors that could help shape how AI is used.
The company has also cited examples of AI and connected technologies being used in India. Qualcomm’s India-focused material described applications involving smart glasses, digital payments, QR codes, connected vehicles and industrial edge AI. These examples illustrate the company’s broader view that AI will increasingly become part of everyday computing rather than remain limited to standalone applications.
One of the key changes expected from agentic AI is a shift in the way people interact with technology. For decades, users have primarily interacted with digital services through applications, menus and screens. Agentic systems could allow users to communicate their intended outcome in natural language and let the AI coordinate multiple steps.
However, this does not necessarily mean applications will disappear. Recent Qualcomm discussions indicate that AI agents and traditional applications are expected to coexist. Agents can potentially act as a layer that helps users navigate multiple services, while individual applications continue to provide the underlying functionality.
Security and privacy will be important considerations as this transition develops. An AI system that can take actions has different requirements from one that only generates text or answers questions. If an agent is given access to personal information, financial services, communications or connected devices, the system needs clear permissions and safeguards.
This is one reason Qualcomm is emphasising on-device AI. Processing some information locally can reduce the need to send every interaction to a remote server. However, the actual privacy and security benefits will depend on how individual products and services are designed and implemented.
Another major requirement is connectivity. Agentic AI will operate across devices, cloud infrastructure and edge computing systems. Qualcomm's broader strategy combines processors, wireless connectivity and AI acceleration to support this distributed architecture.
The company says that AI workloads will increasingly be divided between cloud and edge environments. More intensive training and deep reasoning can continue to use cloud infrastructure, while tasks requiring immediate responses, personalisation and awareness of the physical environment can increasingly be handled on devices.
For India, this model could have implications across consumer technology and industry. Smartphones and PCs could become more capable AI assistants, while vehicles, factories, healthcare systems, retail operations and other sectors could use edge AI to analyse information closer to where it is generated.
Qualcomm has already highlighted industrial edge AI applications such as monitoring manufacturing processes and managing inventory. These applications are part of a wider movement toward placing AI processing closer to physical operations instead of relying exclusively on centralised cloud systems.
The Indian developer community could also play an important role. Agentic AI systems need applications, services and tools that can work together. Developers building for India's diverse languages, consumer preferences and business requirements could influence how AI agents are used locally.
The country's digital payments ecosystem is another example of the type of infrastructure that could interact with future AI systems. Qualcomm has pointed to smart glasses being used with voice commands and QR codes for digital payments as an example of how AI and connected devices can become integrated into everyday activities.
At the same time, the adoption of agentic AI will depend on trust. Users may be willing to allow an AI system to perform tasks only when they understand what information it can access and which actions it is authorised to take. Companies therefore need to provide clear controls, transparency and security features.
McGuire's emphasis on partnerships also reflects this requirement. Building an AI ecosystem involves more than producing faster processors. Hardware manufacturers, software companies, developers, telecommunications providers and device brands need to ensure that their products can work together reliably.
Qualcomm's Snapdragon Summit 2026 was structured around this broader ecosystem. The event included discussions about personal AI, AI PCs, mobile platforms, wearables, sound, computing and AI infrastructure. The company presented Snapdragon as a platform intended to support AI experiences across multiple categories of devices.
The Agentic Age described by Qualcomm is therefore not limited to one new smartphone feature or one AI application. It represents the company's view of a longer-term transition in which AI becomes integrated into many forms of computing.
For India, the development could be particularly relevant because the country combines a large technology user base with a substantial developer and engineering community. Qualcomm's own India-focused commentary identifies these characteristics as important factors in the country's potential role in the next stage of AI development.
However, the pace and scale of adoption remain uncertain. Agentic AI is still developing, and the capabilities of individual systems vary significantly. Questions around privacy, security, reliability, computing costs and user control will influence how quickly these technologies become part of everyday life.
The immediate focus for Qualcomm is therefore on building the underlying hardware and ecosystem needed for these experiences. Its latest Snapdragon platforms are designed to bring more AI processing to devices, while the company's partnership strategy aims to connect hardware, software and services.
Don McGuire's message at Snapdragon Summit reflects this broader approach. Qualcomm sees the next stage of AI as an ecosystem development rather than a technology that belongs to a single company. India, with its large digital user base, software talent and expanding AI adoption, is being positioned by the company as an important part of that global transition.
