Qualcomm pushes hybrid AI and 6G research across Europe’s tech landscape

Qualcomm’s Europe, Middle East and Africa head, Wassim Chourbaji, presented a vision of "intelligence everywhere," where AI runs both on edge devices and in cloud data centres in a hybrid architecture. Building on over 35 years of European research, the company collaborates with industries ranging from automotive to robotics and maintains R&D sites in France, Germany, Sweden, Ireland, Spain and Italy. Partnerships with academic institutions—including the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, Politecnico di Milano and the University of Manchester—support open-innovation efforts, while the acquisition of Arduino showcases a commitment to open-source development, evidenced by millions of downloads of its development environment.

Qualcomm’s teams in Cork are already conducting 6G spectrum trials, aiming to turn the network into a sensing platform that creates live virtual replicas of physical spaces. Executives argue that AI’s effectiveness depends on local language and cultural nuances, giving Europe a strategic advantage in shaping AI and telecom standards. The overall message positions Europe as a key player in the next wave of AI and connectivity technologies.