US-based wireless technology company Qualcomm Technologies announced on Monday the launch of the 'Qualcomm Networking Pro A7 Elite’' platform, which features an artificial intelligence (AI) co-processor for Wi-Fi 7 connectivity and edge AI integration. The platform is "set to transform how people experience their networks with edge AI integration," the company said.
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AI Co-Processor
Qualcomm explained that by leveraging an AI co-processor with 40 TOPS (trillion operations per second) of NPU processing power, the platform not only delivers Wi-Fi 7 connectivity but also equips connected devices with powerful and centralised generative AI processing capabilities.
"With the Networking Pro A7 Elite, we proudly introduce the AI networking era, continuing our long-standing focus on providing valuable applications and use cases for our customers and their users," said Ganesh Swaminathan, Vice President and General Manager of Wireless Infrastructure and Networking at Qualcomm Technologies.
"The Networking Pro A7 Elite integrates essential components – from broadband to antenna – including 10G Fiber, 5G, Ethernet, RF-Front End modules, and filters into a single platform. This class of gateways and routers brings transformative AI processing capabilities, not only managing the modern demands of dynamic Wi-Fi 7 networks but also enabling a new generation of generative AI-powered services that are more seamless, responsive, personalised, and privacy-rich," the company added.
New AI-Powered Applications and Services
Qualcomm noted that this integration of computing power into the network opens up opportunities for operators and enterprises to deploy applications and services in areas such as security and surveillance, energy management and automation, personalised virtual assistants, aging-in-place support, health monitoring, and more.
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Privacy and Security with Edge AI Processing
Additionally, Edge AI can enhance privacy by processing sensitive information on the gateway itself. This approach unlocks the potential of advanced AI for more devices, including legacy ones, enabling a more reliable and harmonised user experience across connected devices, the company said.
