Embracing the versatility
of on-device AI
AI processed directly on devices paves the way for transformative potential, relieving data center strain, enhancing cost-efficiency, ensuring privacy and elevating performance.
Generative artificial
intelligence (AI)
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) — the most exciting technological innovation of our time — is not only changing how we search for and generate content, but it also holds the promise to enhance our daily lives.
Bursting into the public consciousness late last year, generative AI garnered significant attention for its remarkable capacity for content creation encompassing everything from conjuring remarkable, photo-realistic images, to penning praiseworthy prose. But the technology isn’t limited to artistic endeavors. Generative AI is poised to revolutionize the way we consume, travel, purchase and engage in numerous other aspects of our daily lives. The possibilities are limitless.
Yet, for all its potential, the rise of generative AI faces some serious barriers to adoption. Mostly trained and run in the cloud, the explosive growth of generative AI applications is placing strain on overburdened, energy-intensive and increasingly costly data centers.
Keeping it local
Luckily, there is an efficient solution: on-device AI. By harnessing the processing capacity of high-performance, power-efficient devices — including the smartphone or laptop you’re likely using right now — it’s possible to embed generative AI directly into everyday applications.
With this beneficial and decentralized approach, we can lessen the stress on overloaded servers, lower costs, improve latency, increase performance, strengthen privacy, and above all else, provide room for the nascent AI revolution to expand.
Click or tap to explore
Stable Diffusion
Capable of creating incredibly intricate and imaginative imagery with simple prompts, Stable Diffusion’s generative abilities border on unbelievable. However, when hosted remotely, the platform isn’t perfect. Cloud users may encounter latency issues at times of peak demand and are entirely reliant on internet access — not ideal if inspiration strikes during a hike in the mountains, on an airplane or when there is a signal dropout!
Stable Diffusion
Running Stable Diffusion directly on your device alleviates challenges associated with privacy, performance and reliability. But surely only the most powerful, professional-grade computers can accommodate it? Not necessarily. Earlier this year, Qualcomm Technologies demonstrated that a consumer smartphone equipped with its premium Snapdragon® processor could generate a beautiful and detailed image — in this case, a fetchingly fluffy armor-clad cat — in under 15 seconds.
Increasing demand
In the current cloud landscape, servers are predominantly equipped with general-purpose CPU chips, which may not be ideally suited for sophisticated AI processes. GPU chips, originally designed for power-hungry tasks like video games, are better suited for AI applications than CPUs. However, they are not purpose-built for complex generative tasks and are currently experiencing a shortage, partially due to the surging popularity of generative AI.
The increasing demand for generative AI is pushing up prices for specialized cloud hardware and overall data center costs. As a result, the per-query cost for generative AI chat becomes remarkably high, estimated to be ten times that of a regular internet search.
Click or tap to explore
On-device processing
Relying just on remote servers may restrict the inherent advantages of on-device processing, a method that processes data closer to its source instead of sending it to a central server. Edge devices, like smartphones, can instantly process data without relying on connectivity or cloud computing, but when computation is offloaded to the cloud, it could result in higher latency, availability issues and increased costs.
On-device processing
Processing data on the edge device itself has benefits, including speed and reliability. While users are still familiarizing themselves with what generative platforms are capable of, it won’t be long before they demand near real-time responses from their AI products and services. Achieving such speed, particularly during peak demand, presents challenges in cloud-based environments. However, Snapdragon platforms are making high-speed on-device Generative AI a reality by supporting models in excess of 10 billion parameters, a crucial threshold for the most advanced systems.
Greener, personalized and more secure
On-device AI is notably energy-efficient, due to the presence of efficient processors and locally stored models that result in fewer energy-intensive data transfers. Harnessing the potential of everyday devices can also lower generative AI’s environmental impact, as a single cloud storage facility can consume as much electricity as 50,000 homes, due largely to power-hungry server cooling.
Additionally, by shifting certain processing tasks from the cloud to edge devices, like smartphones and laptops capable of local data processing, individuals can rely less on external data which allows for a more private interaction.
Click or tap to explore
Privacy
While cloud storage solutions are largely secure, accidents can occur. In 2019, a remote database was mistakenly left unlocked, leading to the theft of data from 2.4 million users of smart home security cameras, highlighting the significance of strong security measures in the tech industry (source). Whether you are a CTO hesitant to upload proprietary code to GPT-like cloud services, or an individual with legitimate concerns around the privacy of personal AI queries, there are times when a higher level of security is paramount.
Privacy
On-device AI is inherently more private and secure than its remotely hosted counterpart. For personalized AI experiences, it is imperative to store and process data on the device as well as to leverage modern gadgets with robust built-in security measures. It also enables an effective hybrid system where less private information is stored remotely, while the most sensitive data remains within close reach – accessible on the device.
Processing AI on-device ensures user privacy
Your devices can understand you better than the cloud does, thanks to on-device AI. They process sensor information from your camera, microphone, GPS, Wi-Fi and other personal data, leading to increasingly enhanced and personalized AI-powered experiences. For example, when using on-device GPT-like services to get directions from point A to point B, your location information is integrated into the query, providing a personalized and custom route. All this data is securely stored on your device, and none of it is transmitted outside your phone.
Processing AI on device enhances user privacy by retaining queries and personal data within the device, making it more secure for both enterprises and individuals. It better protects sensitive information while allowing unrestricted access to the full range of generative AI capabilities.
Bring forth the future
Data centers have played a crucial role in making AI accessible to many, but rising costs and performance limitations call for a new, complementary approach.
The solution lies in the everyday electronics around us, with their untapped potential to host generative AI models faster, cheaper, more efficiently and more securely. Qualcomm Technologies leads the way in bringing intelligence not only to the cloud, but directly to our devices, shaping a future where AI thrives at our fingertips.
Discover Qualcomm
Technologies’ cutting edge
on-device AI solutions
Snapdragon branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.
Share This Article: