Qualcomm to take on Nvidia with its own AI chips

Core Insights - Qualcomm has launched a new series of artificial intelligence chips to compete with Nvidia, which currently holds approximately 90% of the AI chip market [2][4] - The first chip in Qualcomm's AI series, the AI200, is expected to be commercially available in 2026, followed by the AI250 in 2027 [2] - Qualcomm's stock experienced a 20% increase following the announcement of its entry into the data center market [2] Company Strategy - Qualcomm plans to offer purpose-built AI server racks containing multiple AI chips for data centers, as well as standalone AI chips for enterprises to integrate into existing servers [3] - The company aims to position itself as an energy-efficient alternative in the AI chip market, focusing on long-term cost savings [4] Market Demand - There is a growing demand for AI inference chips due to increased adoption and new use cases, with major companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft developing their own AI chips [5] - An estimated $7 trillion will be spent on data centers through 2030, indicating significant investment opportunities in this sector [5] Competitive Landscape - Qualcomm joins other semiconductor companies like Intel and AMD in the AI chip market, seeking to diversify beyond its traditional smartphone business [6] - OpenAI has recently signed a $10 billion deal with Broadcom for custom AI chips, highlighting the competitive nature of the AI chip industry [7] Partnerships and Collaborations - Qualcomm has secured its first customer for the new AI chip series, Saudi Arabia's Humain, which plans to deploy the chips in its data centers starting in 2026 [7] - Humain is also launching a $10 billion venture fund to support AI initiatives, indicating a strong interest in AI infrastructure development [8]