# Qualcomm to unveil Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 smartphone chips with AI focus > Source: > Published: 2026-09-22 20:05:37+00:00 # Qualcomm to unveil Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 smartphone chips with AI focus The new mobile processors can run 30 billion parameter AI models entirely on-device, signaling a major shift toward local inference and away from cloud dependence [Qualcomm](https://cryptobriefing.com/markets/qualcomm/) just pulled back the curtain on its next generation of flagship mobile silicon, and the headline number is a big one. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, set for a full unveiling at the Snapdragon Summit on September 22 in Maui, can run a 30 billion parameter mixture-of-experts AI model locally on a smartphone. ## What’s actually under the hood The 30 billion parameter figure comes with an important asterisk that makes the whole thing work. The chip uses a Mixture-of-Experts (MoE) architecture, meaning the full model contains 30 billion parameters, but only about 3 billion are activated during any given inference step. The key enabler is Qualcomm’s revamped Hexagon NPU, which now includes a dedicated “Element Accelerator” built specifically for transformer workloads. The NPU also gets 50% more shared memory compared to the previous generation, which allows context windows up to 32K tokens. On the CPU side, the chip uses Qualcomm’s custom Oryon cores in a 2+3+3 configuration: two high-performance cores, three balanced cores, and three efficiency cores. The Adreno GPU gets an upgrade too, with new Matrix cores designed for AI-assisted graphics rendering. ### AI, tech, and the markets they move—in one daily briefing. Daily. Free. Join 34,000+ readers across crypto, finance, and policy. Both the standard and Pro variants are expected to be built on TSMC’s cutting-edge 2nm process node. For the Pro version specifically, Qualcomm is adding extra Matrix ALU blocks to the GPU for what the company calls “AI Frame Fusion” capabilities. ## The privacy play Beyond raw performance, Qualcomm is leaning hard into a narrative about on-device AI as a privacy advantage. The company frames its new chips as enabling “agentic AI” workflows, where an AI assistant can take multi-step actions on your behalf, without routing sensitive data through remote servers. **Disclosure:** This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our [Editorial Policy](https://cryptobriefing.com/editorial-policy/).