MediaTek’s new Dimensity 9600 Pro is bringing more AI processing directly onto smartphones, including support for Google’s Gemini Nano. The flagship chipset is built on TSMC’s 2nm process and is designed to handle AI tasks locally rather than constantly sending them to the cloud.
That could make a difference for everyday features where speed matters. MediaTek says the Dimensity 9600 Pro can run CPU and NPU workloads in parallel, helping AI-heavy tasks respond faster while using less power. The company expects this to be particularly useful for newer “agentic” apps that can handle tasks across different parts of your phone.
The chipset uses a dual-NPU setup to split the workload. One efficient NPU is designed for smaller models and always-on assistants, with MediaTek claiming 40% lower power consumption than the previous generation. A second, more powerful NPU is aimed at larger language models and can deliver twice the previous generation’s large-language-model performance, according to MediaTek.
Gemini Nano is supported directly, while MediaTek is also giving developers tools to build their own AI features. Its Neural Pilot platform is designed for AI apps and experiences, while AI Core and AI Seal provide data isolation, secure execution and control over local data flow.
The benefits aren’t limited to chatbots, either. MediaTek demonstrated 2K live-photo editing running on the device without cloud processing, which should mean less waiting for an online service to process an edit. AI also works alongside the camera system, with the company claiming twice the previous generation’s tracking performance for activities including basketball, skating and snowboarding.
Gaming gets an AI boost too. The 9600 Pro introduces MediaTek’s first-generation neural graphics architecture, allowing the GPU and NPU to work together. The company claims up to 27% better 3DMark performance and up to 24% lower power consumption at comparable performance.
There are even AI-assisted improvements to connectivity and navigation. The chipset can use AI to improve network selection, with MediaTek claiming up to twice the performance and up to 50% less download lag in supported implementations. Its new GNSS setup can also reduce navigation power consumption by up to 65%.
MediaTek will also offer a standard Dimensity 9600 alongside the Pro, targeting a wider range of flagship phones. For the Pro, though, the message is pretty clear: AI is no longer just something your phone accesses online.
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