Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series of articles about artificial intelligence in San Diego.
Several years ago, while attending a meeting of nonprofit societies, Irwin Jacobs, founder of Qualcomm, arriving a little late, took an empty seat in the back of the room next to my wife, Rosalynn.
At some point, Rosalynn’s cell phone rang. As she promptly shut it off, she turned to Jacobs and apologized. Paraphrasing the last line of the Christmas movie “It’s a Wonderful Life,” Jacobs replied: “No need to apologize. Every time it rings, I get my wings.”
One of Qualcomm’s creations spawned by cell phones is increasingly spreading its own wings. It’s aptly named Snapdragon, after the bright and multicolored flower famous for its versatility. More so, this super chip is changing the face of technology and the future of artificial intelligence.
Qualcomm’s hierarchy is so enamored of this creation that it named San Diego State University’s new stadium Snapdragon — after shelling out $45 million for naming rights,
But Snapdragon is much more than a chip and stadium. Some call it a super brain. Others liken it to a symphony conductor who, with a baton, conjures a litany of different sounds from a variety of sources. And that’s basically what Snapdragon does in maestro-like fashion by orchestrating a complex variety of functions in smartphones, tablets and laptops — simultaneously.
Since its inception in 2007, Snapdragon has been a game-changer, merging multiple crucial functions into a single chip. The company likens it to a digital brainiac fueling advanced camera capabilities, seamless gaming experiences, and lightning-fast Internet connections. It’s like having a personal assistant, always one step ahead, anticipating your needs and delivering with precision.
Now, with the rapid development of artificial intelligence, Snapdragon chips are elevating devices to a whole new level by interpreting voice commands, processing queries, and delivering tailored responses with lightning speed. This chip is held in such esteem that conferences are held all over the world focusing on its functions. At a recent one in Hawaii, Cristiano Amon, president and CEO of Qualcomm, wowed his audience as he outlined the chip’s expanding capabilities.
“We are entering the era of AI, and on-device generative AI will play a critical role in delivering powerful, fast, personal, efficient, secure and highly optimized experiences,” said Amon. “Snapdragon is uniquely positioned to help shape and capitalize on the on-device AI opportunity and you will see generative AI going virtually everywhere that Snapdragon goes.”
Taking it a step further, it’s like a traveling workshop in which artisans craft with unparalleled precision while enhancing performance, reducing power consumption and unlocking all kinds of possibilities and AI-related tasks, from voice recognition to image processing by transforming devices into intuitive companions, empowering one to navigate the digital landscape with confidence and ease.
With such a wide spectrum of possibility, you can’t get more robust or colorful than that.
Leonard Novarro is vice president of the Asian Heritage Society and author of WORDSLINGER: The Life and Times of a Newspaper Junkie.