MediaTek looks beyond smartphones to capture AI opportunity

The chipmaker is expanding its focus beyond handsets, betting on agentic AI, connected devices, intelligent vehicles and custom silicon to drive future growth, with India expected to play a key role in the evolving ecosystem.

MediaTek is broadening its technology ambitions beyond the smartphone market, positioning itself to capitalise on emerging opportunities across artificial intelligence (AI), automotive technologies, Internet of Things (IoT) applications and data centre infrastructure.

Speaking at Computex 2026 in Taipei, Rahul Sandil, Vice President and General Manager of Global Marketing at MediaTek, outlined the company's vision of an AI-driven future where intelligent agents operate seamlessly across multiple devices and platforms. He said the industry is entering a phase in which AI capabilities will become increasingly accessible across both edge devices and cloud environments.

While smartphones remain MediaTek's largest business segment, the company believes future growth will be driven by a broader ecosystem of connected technologies. India, in particular, is expected to play an important role as AI adoption expands among consumers, enterprises and developers.

Agentic AI to drive next wave of digital adoption

MediaTek sees significant potential in agentic AI—advanced AI assistants capable of independently performing tasks across different devices. According to the company, these AI agents could become the primary way users interact with technology, reducing reliance on traditional app-based interfaces.

The chipmaker expects this shift to increase demand for more capable hardware and accelerate premium smartphone adoption. Devices equipped with advanced AI features are likely to become a key driver of upgrades, particularly in higher-priced smartphone segments where MediaTek's Dimensity platform has gained traction.

The company believes that as AI becomes more deeply integrated into everyday digital experiences, users will increasingly seek devices capable of supporting sophisticated on-device and cloud-based intelligence.

Automotive, IoT and data centres emerge as key growth areas

Beyond smartphones, MediaTek is investing heavily in IoT technologies, targeting sectors such as robotics, drones, smart agriculture and connected commercial devices. The company said demand in these categories is growing steadily as businesses embrace automation and intelligent connectivity.

Automotive technology has also become a strategic focus. MediaTek is expanding its presence in vehicle connectivity, telematics and advanced driver-assistance systems, supported by collaborations with industry partners including NVIDIA. As vehicles evolve into software-defined platforms, semiconductor requirements are expected to grow significantly.

At the same time, MediaTek is preparing for rising demand in AI infrastructure. The company expects its custom AI accelerator chip business to become a major revenue contributor over the next few years as cloud providers and hyperscale data centres increasingly deploy specialised silicon to handle complex AI workloads.

With investments spanning smartphones, connected devices, vehicles and data centres, MediaTek is positioning itself to participate across the entire AI value chain while supporting the next phase of digital transformation globally.