In a keynote address ahead of this year’s Computex trade show, Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang laid out an ambitious vision for the future of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, highlighting the transformative potential of the company’s cutting-edge technologies. Speaking at the National Taiwan University Sports Centre on Sunday, Huang, 61, highlighted how Nvidia’s innovations in chips and software are set to revolutionize industries across the globe.
Huang’s keynote was a tour de force, presenting a paradigm shift in computing that goes beyond traditional data processing and storage. He articulated a future where computers evolve into sophisticated “factories” generating intelligence and skills across diverse sectors.
“We started with accelerated computing, and now, an industrial revolution,” Huang stated emphatically. “Your computer [will not just] be a tool that you use. The computer will now generate skill. This is in our near future.”
Central to this vision are Nvidia’s latest products, including the Blackwell graphics processing unit (GPU) and the Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA) software framework.
These innovations are designed to provide the technical backbone for the establishment of advanced data centers, termed “AI factories.”
These facilities will enable developers to create high-performance AI applications tailored to various industries, from healthcare to automotive.
The Santa Clara, California-based company has cemented its position as the world’s most valuable semiconductor firm, with a market capitalization exceeding $2 trillion. Nvidia’s ecosystem of hardware and software is now integral to the operations of major data center operators, including Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. These data centers are critical for developing large language models and generative AI services, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
“Now we have five million developers [for CUDA] around the world,” Huang noted during his address. “We serve every single industry, from healthcare, financial services, the computer industry, automotive industry – just about every major industry in the world and every field of science.”
Huang’s presentation painted a vivid picture of a near future where AI seamlessly integrates into everyday operations across various sectors. The concept of AI factories represents a significant leap forward, promising to enhance productivity, efficiency, and innovation.
These AI factories, powered by Nvidia’s GPUs and CUDA framework, are envisioned as hubs where vast amounts of data are processed and transformed into actionable intelligence. This capability is essential for developing sophisticated AI models capable of performing complex tasks, from diagnosing diseases to driving autonomous vehicles.
The potential applications are vast. In healthcare, AI could revolutionize diagnostics and personalized medicine, offering unprecedented accuracy and efficiency. In the automotive industry, AI-powered systems could enhance vehicle safety, enable autonomous driving, and streamline manufacturing processes. Financial services could benefit from advanced analytics and predictive models, improving decision-making and risk management.
A significant portion of Huang’s presentation was dedicated to the next frontier in AI: robotics, or “Physical AI.” This new evolution is already materializing in Taiwan, where major partners like Foxconn Technology Group and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) are at the forefront.
Nvidia’s Omniverse platform, a development environment for creating AI-powered robotic applications, exemplifies this next step. Omniverse will be used to train AI systems for various practical robotic functions, heralding a new era of intelligent machines interacting seamlessly with the physical world.
Reflecting on Nvidia’s journey, Huang shared insights into the company’s early collaboration with OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT, highlighting Nvidia’s instrumental role in the development of AI technologies.
“After 2012, we changed the architecture of our GPU to add tensor cores,” he recounted. “Nobody understood it … OpenAI, a small company in San Francisco, asked me to deliver one to them. I delivered the first DGX, the world’s first AI supercomputer, to OpenAI in 2016.”
The keynote comes as part of Computex, one of the largest information technology exhibitions globally, held annually in Taipei.
This year’s event features a lineup of prominent figures from the semiconductor industry, including Lisa Su of Advanced Micro Devices, Pat Gelsinger of Intel, Cristiano Amon of Qualcomm, and Rene Haas of Arm Holdings.
These industry leaders are expected to showcase the latest technological advancements and discuss their implications for the future.
Robotics: The Next Frontier
The concept of “Physical AI” marks a significant milestone in AI development, emphasizing the integration of AI with physical systems. Nvidia’s Omniverse platform is set to play a crucial role in this evolution, providing a comprehensive environment for developing and deploying AI-driven robotic applications.
Foxconn, TSMC, and other leading firms are already leveraging Nvidia’s technologies to pioneer new applications in robotics. These advancements promise to transform manufacturing, logistics, and other sectors by introducing intelligent, autonomous machines capable of performing tasks with precision and efficiency.
Huang’s keynote also highlighted the importance of collaboration in driving AI innovation. Nvidia’s partnerships with leading technology firms, research institutions, and industry players are pivotal in advancing AI capabilities and exploring new applications.
The company’s collaboration with OpenAI is a prime example of how strategic partnerships can accelerate AI development. By providing the necessary hardware and expertise, Nvidia has enabled OpenAI to push the boundaries of what’s possible with AI, culminating in the creation of groundbreaking models like ChatGPT.
As Nvidia continues to lead the charge in AI and robotics, the implications of these technologies are profound. The shift towards AI-driven industries promises to reshape the economic landscape, creating new opportunities and challenges.
Huang’s vision for the future is one where AI and robotics are integral to every industry, driving innovation and improving quality of life. With Nvidia at the helm, the era of AI factories and Physical AI is not just a futuristic concept but an impending reality poised to transform the world.
