Qualcomm Eyes Robotics Boom in Next Two Years

BARCELONA, Spain — Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon believes robotics will become a “larger opportunity” for the company within the next two years. Qualcomm, a major chipmaker known for its smartphone processors, is actively expanding into new areas beyond mobile technology.

Qualcomm launched its Dragonwing robotics processor in January. This new chipset aims to work across many different robotics platforms, mirroring the successful strategy it uses with its Snapdragon processors in smartphones. Amon shared his thoughts during an interview at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Amon stated that he expects robotics to “start to get scale” within the next two years, becoming a significant part of Qualcomm’s business. He sees this as a growing field with substantial potential.

The robotics market includes a wide variety of robots. Some are for industrial tasks, like robotic arms used in factories. Others are humanoid robots, which companies like Tesla and many Chinese firms are currently developing.

Experts have made various predictions about the future size of the robotics market. McKinsey, for example, estimates that the market for general-purpose robots could hit $370 billion by 2040. RBC Capital Markets analysts even predict a global market for humanoids of $9 trillion by 2050.

Robots need powerful processors and complex engineering to function. However, recent advancements in AI models are driving increased excitement in the robotics sector. These AI models help robots understand their surroundings and react appropriately. People often refer to robots in the category of “physical AI.”

Amon noted that some estimates suggest robotics alone could be a trillion-dollar market opportunity. He explained that “physical AI” makes robots much more useful, contributing to this optimistic outlook. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang also highlighted robotics last year as a key area for his company’s growth.

Robotics is a prominent topic at the Mobile World Congress, with various robots on display. Chinese smartphone maker Honor even showcased its first humanoid robot recently.