MediaTek unveils AI-powered chip

MediaTek Inc has unveiled an artificial-intelligence-powered chip in China, as the semiconductor maker scrambles to equip middle-range smartphones with AI functions such as face recognition.

The move is likely to put pressure on Qualcomm Inc and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd to use their AI chips in more mid-tier devices and will greatly accelerate the popularity of affordable AI-powered smartphones among consumers.

Helio P60 chip, as the new processor is called, can boost performance by up to a massive 70 percent from its predecessor, and it has new tools to support the growing market for machine learning and AI applications, the company claimed.