Qualcomm Stock Jumps as $40 Billion AI Strategy Expands Beyond Smartphones

Qualcomm stock jumped after the company doubled its fiscal 2029 non-handset revenue target to $40 billion. The plan includes $15 billion from AI data centers and $10 billion from automotive products as Qualcomm expands beyond smartphones.
Qualcomm Stock Jumps as $40 Billion AI Strategy Expands Beyond Smartphones
Written By:
Kelvin Munene
Reviewed By:
Manisha Sharma
Published on
Updated on

Qualcomm stock rose more than 12% in premarket trading on Thursday after the chipmaker raised its long-term revenue target outside smartphones. The company now expects its non-handset businesses to generate $40 billion in revenue by fiscal 2029, twice its previous goal.

The revised target includes $15 billion from data center products and $10 billion from the automotive business. Qualcomm presented the plan at its investor day in New York, where executives outlined a broader shift into artificial intelligence infrastructure, servers, personal computers, and connected devices.

Qualcomm Targets $15 Billion in Data Center Revenue

Qualcomm plans to offer several products for AI data centers, including processors, server systems, software, and custom chips. The company expects these operations to generate $15 billion in annual revenue by fiscal 2029. Its strategy places the business in direct competition with NVIDIA and AMD.

Chief Executive Cristiano Amon said cloud and AI companies have shown interest in having more chip suppliers. “I have not met a single one of those cloud and AI companies that have not said to me how excited they are,” Amon said. Nevertheless, the revenue target depends on Qualcomm winning customers in a market where established suppliers hold strong positions.

China Forms Part of Qualcomm’s AI Expansion

Qualcomm also plans to market its data center products in China, although US export rules may limit access to advanced technology. “Everything that we’re building for the data center, you should assume that China is going to be a target market,” Amon said.

However, the company faces doubts over which processors it can legally sell in the country. The US government has changed its approach to AI chip exports several times over security concerns. While certain NVIDIA processors received clearance for sale, Chinese authorities have not approved all of them for import.

Smartphone Dependence Falls Under Wider Growth Plan

The data center push forms part of Qualcomm’s effort to reduce its reliance on mobile phone chips. The company expects its automotive business to produce $10 billion in fiscal 2029. It is also expanding its computer chip business, where it competes with Intel and AMD.

Additionally, Qualcomm has agreed to acquire AI software company Modular. The deal gives the company access to tools that help developers build and run AI programs across different processors. Qualcomm aims to create a software system that can compete with NVIDIA’s CUDA platform, which developers widely use for GPU-based computing.

Micron Results Support Semiconductor Stock Rally

Qualcomm’s investor update arrived as Micron reported quarterly results that exceeded market forecasts. Micron said customers had committed about $22 billion toward chip purchases. It also reported that its high-bandwidth memory supply for 2026 had already sold out.

Micron shares gained more than 15% in extended trading, while Qualcomm rose about 12% before Thursday’s opening bell. The updates supported gains across semiconductor stocks and helped push US stock index futures higher.

Meanwhile, investors are assessing whether Qualcomm can meet its fiscal 2029 targets while competing with NVIDIA, AMD, and custom processors developed by large cloud companies. 

Its $15 billion data center forecast reflects management’s plan, but actual sales will depend on customer orders, product performance, export rules, and the pace of global AI infrastructure spending.

Also Read: Top AI, Startup, IT & Crypto Updates: Qualcomm Expands AI Chip Push, QOSMIC Secures Funding, Infosys Accelerates Hiring, Crypto Compliance Faces Scrutiny, and Claude AI Usage Gains Focus 

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