Qualcomm boosts UAE presence with AI, IoT, Edge development

Furthering its development of AI and industrial internet of things (IIoT) technologies in what is one of the world’s current key growth areas for communications technology, Qualcomm has announced a strategic collaboration with UAE operator e& to help drive technological development and commercialisation across advanced connectivity such as 5G and edge artificial intelligence (AI), and has also unveiled plans to establish a global engineering centre in Abu Dhabi.

The collaboration with e& is seen by Qualcomm as part of an effort to accelerate the digital transformation for the government, enterprise and industrial sectors, and is intended to benefit key aspects of the UAE economy.

Among the areas that Qualcomm and e& plan to collaborate on include industrial and enterprise 5G edge AI gateways that are designed to enable core vertical sectors to deploy AI capabilities and other technologies at the network edge, enhancing efficiency, connectivity and performance.

In addition, they will work on edge AI devices – ranging from PCs to extended reality devices based on Qualcomm Snapdragon platforms – to integrate large language models, supporting on-device generative AI capabilities and security-focused AI inferencing from edge to cloud for enterprise and government sectors. The shared activity will also encompass smart mobility and safety services to improve safety and user experience.

“This new agreement will help drive the digital transformation of enterprises, significantly enhancing the UAE’s role in the global technology landscape,” said e& group chief executive officer Hatem Dowidar. “Together, we’re bringing powerful AI to the edge – from smart industrial gateways and wearables to mobility and infrastructure – enabling faster, more reliable and secure experiences across sectors like manufacturing, transport and government. These innovations will drive real-time intelligence, operational efficiency and future-ready public services across the UAE.”

In supporting its collaboration with e&, Qualcomm says it will make use of its newly established engineering centre to evaluate new use cases that are seen as being able to accelerate 5G and edge AI adoption in sectors such as energy, manufacturing, logistics, retail and smart mobility.

The Abu Dhabi engineering centre will become an integral part of the Qualcomm Global Engineering hubs working on next-generation technology in IIoT, AI and datacentre services to help meet growing local and global demand for high-performance connectivity, power-efficient computing and intelligence.

The facility will also collaborate with UAE-based and global companies to support local strategic initiatives in the region. It will augment Qualcomm’s global engineering capabilities to deliver products and services designed to meet the needs of key industries, including energy, manufacturing, logistics, retail and smart mobility, which are key drivers for economic growth.

“This new engineering hub will focus on developing best-in-class AI and industrial IoT solutions while also cultivating local talent and fostering job creation,” said Qualcomm Inc president and CEO Cristiano Amon. “We look forward to working with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office and the UAE to expand their technology ecosystem.”

Badr Al-Olama, director general at Abu Dhabi Investment Office, added: “Abu Dhabi is laying the groundwork for future-defining industries, grounded in world-class research capabilities, integrated infrastructure and the ability to attract top-tier talent.

“The Qualcomm Engineering Centre in Abu Dhabi is poised to deliver technological advancements in IoT, AI and data infrastructure with applications across critical sectors, unlocking complex solutions at a global scale in partnership with Abu Dhabi’s world-class ecosystem.”