AI Firms to Run Massive Mobile Models by 2028
Tech developers are aiming to bring 100-billion parameter models to smartphones within the next few years.
Updated on Oct. 16, 2026 in Consumer Electronics
Live Poll
Would you pay higher prices for a smartphone to run advanced AI models locally by 2028?
By 2028, AI developers intend to enable smartphones to run complex 100-billion parameter models locally. This advancement seeks to leverage personal data and sensor inputs stored on mobile devices to power more effective AI agents.
Why it matters
Running these powerful models on a phone allows for greater access to personal context, sensor data, and installed applications. Currently, memory price spikes have hindered the smartphone market, with costs rising five to six times, leading to a 20 percent decline in sales this year.
Developers are targeting the deployment of 100-billion parameter AI models on smartphones by 2028. This effort follows a period where memory prices increased five to six times, contributing to a 20 percent drop in the annual 1.2 billion unit smartphone market.
The players
Qualcomm
This American multinational corporation creates semiconductors, software, and services related to wireless technology.
Cristiano Amon
He is the president and CEO of Qualcomm who oversees the company's strategic focus on mobile computing and 6G innovation.
The details
Qualcomm is supporting this shift by making its Modular platform open source under the Apache 2.0 license to foster development on any chip. Meanwhile, about 40 smart glasses designs currently utilize Qualcomm chips as the industry prepares for 6G demonstrations at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Timeline
2019: Smartphone market size benchmark.
October 8, 2026: Podcast interview publication.
2028: AI model capacity target and 6G demonstrations.
2029-2030: Early 6G deployments.
The Tech Race
This move toward 100-billion parameter models signals a significant evolution from cloud-dependent processing toward local, on-device artificial intelligence. It positions mobile hardware to replace traditional cloud computing by leveraging Qualcomm's Modular platform to bridge the gap for global developers.
Users can expect future smartphones to act as more intelligent personal assistants that process sensitive data locally for improved privacy. However, high memory costs suggest that premium smartphone pricing will likely remain elevated even after current supply shortages subside.
The takeaway
The move toward local processing signifies a shift in how personal data is utilized by artificial intelligence agents on mobile devices. Readers should anticipate that upcoming smartphone generations will prioritize large-scale AI capabilities over mere incremental design updates.
Further reading
For more on the current hardware landscape, explore the Consumer Electronics section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Next Web.
Live Poll
Would you pay higher prices for a smartphone to run advanced AI models locally by 2028?
