80% of premium smartphones will ship with AI agents by 2027, running on Qualcomm and MediaTek chips

Premium smartphones are about to become more independent. Counterpoint Research analysts forecast that by 2027, 80% of flagships will ship with AI agents: next-generation autonomous assistants that perform tasks without user involvement. On wearables, the technology will arrive later.

Four out of five will have AI agents

Most premium smartphones will get AI agents within the next few years. That means manufacturers are moving quickly from traditional AI helpers such as voice assistants to full autonomous agents that carry out multi-step tasks without user intervention. It is a fundamental shift in how we interact with mobile devices.

The forecast for wearables (smartwatches, bands, glasses) is different. Analysts predict that the same share, 80%, will reach this segment only by 2032. The gap comes down to practical limits: agents need powerful, energy-efficient processors and convenient interfaces adapted to small screens. That calls for a separate generation of chips.

Which chips are already ready

Chipmakers picked up the baton first. MediaTek introduced the Dimensity 9400, the first chip with built-in support for AI agents. Qualcomm answered with two flagships at once: the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. These processors mark a sharp change in how AI works on mobile devices: a move from cloud processing to local processing, where data does not leave the smartphone.

On these chips, a smartphone can run a new type of app that:

• Makes decisions based on the context of the user's actions
• Carries out complex multi-step tasks on its own
• Integrates with other apps and services on the device
• Learns the owner's habits and preferences
• Works locally, without sending personal data to the cloud

Local execution is the key advantage. Data stays on the device, response times improve, and privacy is guaranteed.

What an AI agent in a smartphone is

The definition is simple: it is a software agent that understands context, plans actions, makes decisions and performs tasks on the user's behalf. Unlike today's assistants, which only answer questions or offer ready-made commands, an agent can open apps on its own, tap on elements, fill in forms, check results and adapt its actions to what is happening.

An example: instead of searching manually for a concert ticket, you tell the agent, "Buy tickets for a rock concert this weekend." The agent sees which apps are available and which events are near you, compares prices across platforms, picks a suitable option and completes the purchase. All without any extra action or taps on the screen from you.

What this means

The smartphone will stop being merely a tool for launching apps and become an active assistant that saves the user time and mental effort. Routine tasks that take many steps can be delegated to an app that will sort them out faster than a person.

"These processors marked the transition from ordinary AI assistants to autonomous, context-aware AI functions,"

Counterpoint Research analysts note.

For smartphone makers, competition will shift from raw computing power to the quality of built-in AI agents. The question will be whose agent understands user intent more accurately and carries it out faster. The market is entering a new phase in which the advantage will go to whoever trains their AI better.