The AI revolution in smartphones just hit hyperdrive. GenAI-capable smartphone processors will capture 35% of the total market in 2025, marking a massive 74% year-over-year growth, according to Counterpoint Research. This isn’t just about flagship phones anymore—AI features are rapidly trickling down to mid-range devices, fundamentally changing what your smartphone can do.
Table of Contents
GenAI Smartphone SoC Market Overview (2025)
| Category | Key Metrics |
|---|---|
| Market Share | 35% of total smartphone SoCs |
| YoY Growth | 74% increase in 2025 |
| Market Leaders | Apple (46%), Qualcomm (35%), MediaTek (12%) |
| Premium Adoption | 88% of premium SoCs support GenAI |
| AI Performance | Up to 100 TOPS (4x higher than 2021) |
| Mid-Range Growth | 3x increase in $300-$499 segment (38% share) |
| Top Premium Chips | Apple A19 Pro, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, Dimensity 9500 |
| Mid-Range Leaders | Qualcomm (57%), MediaTek (pioneered with Dimensity 8000) |
Why GenAI Chips Are Taking Over Smartphones
Premium Market Dominance
Premium GenAI-capable chip shipments are expected to grow 53% year-over-year, with 88% of all premium processors in 2025 supporting GenAI. Peak AI performance is projected to reach 100 TOPS—nearly four times higher than 2021 levels.
The Big Three’s Strategies
Apple leads with 46% market share through its A-series chips, partnering with OpenAI to bring ChatGPT integration to iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. The company offers a 3-billion-parameter on-device language model plus cloud-based processing via Private Cloud Compute on Apple Silicon servers.
Qualcomm captures 35% market share with its AI Orchestrator, enabling phone makers to focus on AI services without managing complex LLM integration. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 emphasizes multimodal AI through its Hexagon AI engine.
MediaTek holds 12% share using NeuroPilot to optimize AI across CPU, GPU, and NPU resources. The company pioneered mid-range GenAI with its Dimensity 8000 series, focusing on power efficiency and big-core designs.
Mid-Range Revolution
The $300-$499 segment is witnessing explosive growth with a threefold year-over-year increase in GenAI-capable chips, representing 38% of the segment total. Qualcomm dominates with 57% share through its Snapdragon 700 and Snapdragon 6 series.
Why This Matters
Rising AI compute demands are pushing premium chip prices higher as manufacturers move to advanced nodes and integrate more powerful CPUs, GPUs, and NPUs. Both Qualcomm and MediaTek are actively working with Chinese OEMs to ensure efficient GenAI deployment while maintaining performance and power efficiency.
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FAQs
Which smartphone chips support GenAI in 2025?
Apple A19/A19 Pro, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, Dimensity 9500 (premium), plus Snapdragon 700/6 series and Dimensity 8000 series (mid-range).
When will budget phones get AI features?
Lower-end chips are beginning to offer GenAI capabilities in 2025, with mass adoption expected by 2026.
