MediaTek bringing power AI to everyone: Anuj Sidharth, deputy director, marketing & communications

MediaTek - a fabless semiconductor company - has achieved over 50 per cent smartphone market share (according to a recent report by IDC). Also, MediaTek is not only ahead of its counterparts in developing innovative systems-on-chip (SoC) for mobile devices, home entertainment, connectivity and IoT products, but it is also innovating to bring advanced AI features to its chipsets. Speaking exclusively to Zee Business' Raghwendra Shukla,  Anuj Sidharth, deputy director of marketing & communications, MediaTek, said the company is leveraging AI developments wherever possible and integrating AI innovations across all product portfolios.

Here are the edited excerpts from the interview:

1. MediaTek has achieved over 50% of Indian smartphone market. What according to you has contributed to this growth?

 Anuj Sidharth: MediaTek is a market leader in developing innovative systems-on-chip (SoC) catering to different smartphone segments, from mainstream options to high-performance flagships. This allows OEMs to create devices that cater to diverse consumer needs and preferences. MediaTek’s close collaboration with OEMs allows us to develop chipsets tailored to the specific needs of the market which effectively integrates MediaTek technology into a wide range of popular smartphones. MediaTek is constantly innovating to bring the latest technologies like 5G, advanced AI, and powerful multimedia capabilities to our chipsets to ensure that MediaTek-powered devices remain at the forefront of the market.

According to Counterpoint, in Q1 2024 (January-March), MediaTek led India’s smartphone chipset market with a 53% share, and India’s smartphone shipments grew 8% YoY in terms of volume. MediaTek's R&D centers in Bangalore and Noida provide the core of our extremely efficient operations in India as well as globally. Both centers are dedicated to advancing our technology capabilities and creating innovations that set us apart from competitors. Also, as per the recent CMR report, MediaTek has a strong brand awareness among Gen Alpha, and users associate MediaTek with excellence in ‘Performance Excellence’ (65%) and ‘AI Prowess’ (64%).

2. What are the latest developments and features related to AI-powered chipsets we can expect in the coming days?

Anuj Sidharth: There are several advantages including seamless performance, greater privacy, better security and reliability, lower latency, the ability to work in areas with little to no connectivity, and lower operation costs. According to IDC, two distinct groups for AI smartphones include Hardware-enabled AI Smartphones, which use accelerators, or specialized processors to run on-device AI at lower power, and Next-gen AI smartphones that use SoCs capable of running on-device GenAI models more quickly and efficiently.

MediaTek is a leader in democratizing AI and fostering innovation for developers, OEMs, and partners. We aim to inspire the creation of groundbreaking experiences through MediaTek-powered AI technology and the advanced APUs integrated into the MediaTek Dimensity 9300+, 8300, and the recently launched 7300. MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chipset has MediaTek APU 655 that enhances AI task efficiency and supports new mixed-precision data types, unlocking new experiences, and enhanced visuals. At MWC 2024, MediaTek demonstrated key on-device AI technologies, each of which are industry-firsts:

● SDXL Turbo can convert a text-to-image Stable Diffusion engine that dynamically generates images in real-time, based on user-provided prompts.
● Video Diffusion Generation enables fast video diffusion generation, capable of a range of animation styles.
● Low Rank Adaptation (LoRA) Fusion incorporated into the NeuroPilot AI platform, exhibited in a use case in which animated avatars are created from a camera and processed in real-time.

3. MediaTek has democratized 5G, do you think you will be able to do so in terms of AI?

Anuj Sidharth: MediaTek is bringing the power of 5G and AI to everyone. We're not just about flagship smartphones – we're making 5G accessible across devices, from PCs and routers to mobile hotspots and beyond. We’re leveraging AI developments wherever possible, integrating our AI innovations across our product portfolio, from the mobile segment to smart home devices, automotive, the healthcare industry, data centers, industrial applications, and beyond. 

Our AI features are designed for real-world use cases that benefit everyone. For instance, smart cameras, voice assistants, and power-efficient AI processors for extended battery life.As the industry leader in developing powerful, highly integrated, and efficient system-on-chip products, MediaTek is enabling the future of AI by creating an ecosystem of edge-AI hardware processing paired with comprehensive software tools across its product range from smartphones and laptops to smart homes, intelligent IoT in businesses, and smart vehicles.

4. How is MediaTek leveraging its collaborations with OEMs to expand its market presence in India?

Anuj Sidharth: By fostering close collaboration with OEMs, MediaTek is well-positioned to address the specific needs of the Indian market. We work closely with OEMs to understand their specific needs and develop chipsets that cater to the market for features like advanced camera functionalities optimized for local lighting conditions or power-efficient processors suited to extended mobile usage or advanced gaming capabilities for the most demanding users. A few of recent smartphones include Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G powered by MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Ultra, POCO X6 Pro powered by MediaTek Dimensity 8300 Ultra, Nothing Phone 2a powered by MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro, and Infinix GT 20 Pro powered by MediaTek Dimensity 8200 Ultimate that feature MediaTek Dimensity 5G Open Resource Architecture.

In 2024, multiple smartphones powered by MediaTek were launched from well-established brands like Samsung to newcomers like Nothing. The latest MediaTek-powered smartphones include, Samsung Galaxy M15 5G powered by MediaTek Dimensity 6100+, Moto g64 5G powered by MediaTek Dimensity 7025, Realme Narzo 70 Pro Series 5G Powered by MediaTek Dimensity 7050, vivo Y28 powered by MediaTek Dimensity 6020, iQOO Z9 Powered by MediaTek Dimensity 7200, among others

5. How do MediaTek’s on-ground education campaign help to educate retailers about MediaTek's flagship and premium smartphone chipsets?

Anuj Sidharth: With the retailer education program, we aimed to boost awareness and educate retailers about MediaTek’s presence in the smartphone and smart device ecosystem in India. The recent campaign was conducted across key zones including Delhi/NCR, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, and reached over 1100 retailers in these locations. We focus on driving awareness and educating retailers on premium & flagship technologies powered by MediaTek Dimensity 5G Series and MediaTek Helio G Series and MediaTek’s incredible technologies are enhancing and enriching everyday life. The program offers a comprehensive trainingthat empowers retail partners to provide superior customer experiences that will help consumers make informed buying discussions.

6. Can you share some details around the MediaTek latest chipset Dimensity 9300+ and by when we can expect the next flagship chip from MediaTek?

Anuj Sidharth: Recently, we launched the MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ flagship chipset which has all big-core performance, and leading Gen AI capabilities, giving enthusiasts and gamers a new benchmark in ultimate smartphone performance. The chipset is designed to accelerate on-device generative AI processing, offering broader support for LLMs, and other performance enhancements over the Dimensity 9300. MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ is equipped with a 3rd generation TSMC 4nm process, leveraging all big-core designs. MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ offers a wide range of AI applications and supports on-device LoRA Fusion and NeuroPilotLoRA Fusion 2.0 so developers can quickly bring to market new generative AI applications with text, images, music, and more. And support for the latest LLMs including Google Gemini Nano, Meta Llama 2, and Llama 3. Moreover, MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ enables users to take incredible photos and videos, even in low-light environments MediaTek Imagiq 990 has a built-in AI Semantic Analysis Video Engine to support advanced AI videography features, including, 16 scene segmentation with real-time video capture to reduce noise, increase brightness, and enhance colors. MediaTek is constantly innovating and pushing the boundaries of mobile technology. Stay tuned for exciting announcements from MediaTek.