AI agents set to become centre of users' digital lives: Qualcomm CEO

Qualcomm has outlined its vision for an AI-driven future where autonomous AI agents will perform tasks independently across devices and eventually become the centre of users' digital lives, reducing the pivotal role currently played by smartphones. Addressing Computex 2026 in Taipei on Monday, Qualcomm President and CEO Cristiano R Amon said 2026 would be "the year of agents" as artificial intelligence evolves beyond responding to prompts and starts taking actions on behalf of users. Qualcomm, which has a significant presence in India and has one of its largest employee bases outside the US in the country, is betting big on Agentic AI. It also operates major research, software and hardware design centres in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai. "2026 is the year of agents and it's now how AI is really evolving," Amon said in his keynote address at the global technology event organised by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council. Amon said AI is evolving from being a tool that ass