You couldn't swing a virtual cat without running into an MWC 2024 exhibitor talking about generative AI; from Samsung and Google promoting AI-powered photo editing and search, to Qualcomm wanting to put AI in cars and Humane making AI wearable.
Sure, much of the technology on display was cool, but I don't think the true game-changing potential of generative AI is in the obvious things. An experienced photographer and editor will almost certainly want to make their own edits, or simply take a photo in the first place, rather than relying on AI manipulation. And writers like me would rather write an article than try to make sense of something written by ChatGPT.
Instead, from the various talks and roundtables I participated in at MWC, I think AI will be most useful when it helps people with things they can't easily do, learn, or even discover.
A simple example of this is how Qualcomm continues to push the use of AI in its modem chips, with the latest Snapdragon improve latency and coverage. It's not the sexiest tech product, but in terms of consumption, that means more effective Wi-Fi and mobile Internet connectivity with reduced power consumption on smartphones and other 5G-enabled devices; Since Qualcomm supplies modem chips for all the big phone brands, you can expect the Snapdragon X80 to appear in future Galaxy S series phones and the iPhone 16.
Likewise, the Snapdragon X80 can be used in devices and applications of the so-called Internet of Things (IoT), which could improve the performance of smart sensors and networks in smart cities. You might not see or notice this happening, but it could mean things like intelligent traffic monitoring that feeds back to apps like Google Maps. Or just fast and reliable 5G mmWave connectivity; Basically things that make daily life easier while running in the background.
Live translation, already a generative AI feature on the Google Pixel 8 series and Samsung Galaxy S24 family, is an obvious example of using AI to help us deal with things we don't know, although I have yet to try it .
Then there is the use of generative AI in cars, which is particularly interesting as it would allow people to talk to their cars. Qualcomm showed off its Snapdragon Digital Chassis platform where people can ask a car-based generative AI questions, from where to eat nearby to what a specific warning light on the dashboard means.
Getting recommendations is nothing special since Google Maps already does this and is built into Android Auto. But getting information about what might be wrong with their car without the driver having to find a manual or go to a shop could be a fantastic next step for automotive technology. Additionally, generative AI could power voice commands and make it much easier for drivers to activate various settings and options without taking their eyes off the road or their hands off the wheel.
Generative AI in robots also caught my attention, with the almost strange Ameca robot appearing at MWC to delight attendees who threw all kinds of questions at the humanoid robot.
Here, AI is not necessarily used to help with one specific thing, but rather to power an intelligent machine that could be useful with all kinds of tasks. I imagined Ameca being used to provide 24-hour concierge service at hotels and airports, not to replace humans but to fill the gaps between shift changes and during quiet times.
Or perhaps a next-generation Ameca could be used as a companion for people who are on welfare or need care but still want their independence. At a time when there is a shortage of social workers (at least in the UK), an AI-powered robot could at least help with the staff shortage.
I have no doubt that we'll continue to hear about AI in consumer technology, and I'll bet a tidy sum that a next-generation iPhone will have some generative AI tools. But I'm looking forward to seeing how generative AI can quietly improve lives with greater efficiency of services, easier ways to surface difficult information and help people, rather than just taking pictures of dogs on the moon or produce images that are too pristine.
