California-based semiconductor giant Qualcomm has acquired the generative AI division "MovianAI Artificial Intelligence (AI) Applications & Research JSC" (MovianAI) from VinAI for an undisclosed sum. This strategic move is expected to strengthen Qualcomm's capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI), which is currently one of the hottest trends in the technology sector.
Notably, MovianAI has gained recognition for its innovative work in the generative AI field, developing cutting-edge algorithms and applications. By incorporating MovianAI’s expertise, Qualcomm aims to enhance its AI-driven solutions, especially within mobile platforms, automotive technologies, and IoT devices.
VinAI Founder and CEO Dr. Hung Bui stated in a release, "We are well-positioned to contribute to Qualcomm's mission of making breakthroughs in foundational AI research and scaling them across industries such as smartphones, PCs, and software-defined vehicles."
Interestingly, the two companies—VinAI (a subsidiary established by Vingroup in 2019) and Qualcomm—have a history of collaboration. As early as May 2023, VinAI partnered with Qualcomm to launch GuardPro, an AI-powered security and compliance solution for smart cities. GuardPro leverages advanced computer vision technology to monitor residential and commercial buildings in real-time, improving safety and compliance. The AI models behind GuardPro were developed using VinAI’s high-throughput video analytics SDK for Qualcomm Cloud AI 100 hardware, utilizing tools from the Qualcomm AI Stack.
Additionally, in the same year (2023), Viettel IDC, VinAI, and Qualcomm signed a strategic cooperation agreement to research, develop, and promote AI solutions in Vietnam. Under this agreement, Viettel IDC plans to integrate VinAI's AI camera solutions based on Qualcomm's platform into its products and services.
This development is particularly noteworthy given Qualcomm's current fierce competition from companies like Nvidia, which focuses on AI-centric GPUs and accelerators. Nvidia’s GPUs, specifically the A100 and H100, have gained widespread recognition for their superior performance in generative AI workloads. Meanwhile, to remain competitive in the generative AI space, Qualcomm must optimize the performance and energy efficiency of its chips.
To maintain a leading position in the burgeoning AI market, Qualcomm introduced the Snapdragon X chipset earlier this year, bringing AI capabilities to mid-range Windows PCs. The chipset is designed to deliver advanced AI features such as voice recognition, real-time image enhancement, and automatic document editing while maintaining efficiency and extending battery life.
In terms of numbers, Qualcomm achieved robust growth, with revenue increasing 12% (to $40.7 billion) and net income rising 36% (to $10.56 billion) in 2024. However, with intensifying competition in the AI chip sector, the company faces challenges in this domain. Considering that the global AI chip market (valued at $52.92 billion in 2024) is projected to reach $295.56 billion by 2030, this situation is significant. In fact, in 2023, the overall market size for data center AI chips was $17.7 billion, with Nvidia capturing 65% of the market share. Intel held 22%, AMD had 11%, and other companies accounted for less than 3%.
