We study the quantum phase diagram and the onset of quantum critical phenomena in a generalized Dicke model that includes collective qubit–qubit interactions. By employing semiclassical techniques, we analyze the corresponding classical energy surfaces, fixed points, and the smooth Density of States as a function of the Hamiltonian parameters to determine quantum phase transitions in either the ground (QPT) or excited states (ESQPT). We unveil a rich phase diagram, the presence of new phases, and new transitions that result from varying the strength of the qubits interactions in independent canonical directions. We also find a correspondence between the phases emerging due to qubit interactions and those in their absence but with varying the strength of the non-resonant terms in the light–matter coupling. We expect our work to pave the way and stimulate the exploration of quantum criticality in systems combining matter–matter and light–matter interactions.