Catherine Sbeglia Nin
The topline messaging from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Summit was clear, according to Sean Kinney: AI everywhere. That means high-performance, power-efficient silicon across smartphones, PCs, vehicles, wearables, and XR — all feeding an “ecosystem of you.” The idea is simple but ambitious: AI modalities and models blending into seamless, intelligent systems. And right now, that ambition shows up clearly in voice — no longer just a command tool, voice is becoming the natural interface for a world where connectivity, compute, and context fuse together.
In weaving together the Hawaiian pule ceremony and Qualcomm’s vision for AI, Kinney highlights voice as both a cultural and technological bridge. In the Hawaiian tradition, the “extension of voice” means to establish connection, context, and the foundation for progress. Kinney draws a parallel to the AI era, where voice is once again central, moving from a simple function of the handset to a more natural, intuitive interface that increasingly replaces the keyboard. Just as the pule situates people within place and purpose, voice in AI situates intent within context and connectivity, translating human expression into action. In both cases, voice becomes more than communication — it becomes the enabler of progress.
But for AI everywhere, you need chips everywhere — and Washington may be about to upend the rules. U.S. officials are reportedly floating a “1:1 production” requirement: For every chip imported, one has to be made domestically. That could mean big headaches for global supply chains, and a potential windfall for Intel.
Meanwhile, AI adoption is racing ahead. From factory floors to hospitals, trading desks to burger counters, businesses are pouring billions into embedding AI at every layer. James Blackman highlights ten sharp examples of what enterprise AI looks like in action. And 5G keeps climbing. Global connections have passed 2.6 billion, with North America leading in coverage and data usage. Analysts say 5G has moved from promise to infrastructure, anchoring IoT growth and industrial digitalization.
Catherine Sbeglia Nin
Managing Editor
RCR Wireless News
RCR Top 5
AI and the extension of voice: Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Summit was about AI everywhere; getting AI everywhere means blending connectivity, compute, and context into a seamless, multi-modal system — an ecosystem of you.
Is a 1:1 chip production rule coming?: U.S. officials are reportedly considering a new rule that would require semiconductor firms to match imports with domestically produced chips, a move that could be a boon for Intel.
AI at the sharp end: From automotive plants to hospitals, banks, and burger chains, organizations are investing billions to insert AI into every layer of their businesses. Here are 10 examples.
North America sets 5G pace: Global 5G connections have surpassed 2.6 billion with North America leading in both coverage and data usage as analysts say the technology is now central to IoT expansion and industrial digitalization.
5G IoT “beyond traditional boundaries”: KPN and OQ Technology’s roaming deal adds LEO satellites to extend 5G IoT into remote regions — part of a broader trend of operators partnering with satellite providers to expand global coverage.
AI-Powered Telecom Infrastructure
Supermicro, in collaboration with NVIDIA, delivers AI-powered infrastructure tailored for telcos, enhancing operational efficiency, network management, and customer experiences. Explore now
Beyond the Headlines
Meet the latest Snapdragon lineup: Qualcomm debuted Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for handsets and the Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Elite Extreme for PCs. The takeaway is that the company is moving fast with its Oryon CPUs.
Wi-Fi 8 for the AI era: Although 2028 may seem distant, it’s important to start developing a Wi-Fi 8 strategy today. Whether for personal device constellations or industrial automation, reliability has become as important as throughput. This is what Wi-Fi 8 will deliver.
India’s “immense potential”: Private 5G is essential to Industry 4.0, says Tech Mahindra; here, it discusses its expanding private 5G portfolio with global enterprises, as well as big opportunities in its home market.
Wi-Fi matters: New Wi-Fi certifications — “Wi-Fi for Matter” certification and Matter 1.4.2 — could pave the way for smarter, more interoperable devices in homes and apartment buildings, especially in multi-dwelling units (MDUs).
The LA28 Olympics needs CBRS: Private cellular networks — particularly those using CBRS spectrum — are emerging as critical to the Olympic wireless landscape amid spectrum auction discussions.
What We're Reading
Fresh emergency call outage: Australia’s Optus has faced another outage of its emergency call (triple-0) service, affecting about 4,500 users — coming just 10 days after a major disruption blamed for four deaths.
Where the towers are: Take a look at this deep dive into U.S. wireless infrastructure, which reveals the shifting “footprint” of cell towers — where they’re built, who owns them, and how coverage is evolving across rural and metro areas.
Strategic tower swap: Day Wireless Systems and Everest Infrastructure Partners have completed a strategic swap of 47 wireless towers across U.S. markets, expanding DWS’s portfolio to more than 230 sites.
Walmart boss on AI: “AI is going to change literally every job,” says Walmart chief. His remarks reflect a shift in how business leaders discuss the human cost of AI, following similar commentaries from Ford, JPMorgan Chase, and Amazon.
AI busts trafficking: Spain-based banking group Santander is using an AI tool, developed by ThetaRay, to help the U.K.’s National Crime Agency uncover suspicious transactions and dismantle several human trafficking rings in Britain.
Two AI markets: Two AI markets have emerged: a hyped, capital-intensive consumer AI infrastructure race led by tech giants, and practical enterprise AI focused on automation, efficiency, and specific business use cases.
Korea to replace regulator: South Korea’s National Assembly has approved legislation to dissolve the current telecom regulator and replace it with a new body overseeing broadcasting and telecommunications.
Scaling quantum: UC Riverside researchers have showed that linking small quantum chips can build larger, more reliable systems, potentially speeding quantum computing progress without waiting for perfect hardware.
Upcoming Events
Join MWC Las Vegas, in partnership with CTIA, North America’s leading event for industrial-grade connectivity—where enterprises evolve through CIO-led insights on transformation using 5G-enabled and AI-powered technologies.
Industry Resources
Webinar, September 18th
The journey to a fully autonomous network – The evolution of network automation and how Amdocs is leading the way
