Could humanoid robots get a lot more human? Nvidia may have made that possibility a bit realer today with a smarter robot brain that has less energy demands.
The tech giant’s latest robotics offering is Jetson Thor, a super computer built for real-time AI computation on humanoid robots and smart machines alike, nvidia announced in a press release on Monday.The new module is built to handle larger amounts of facts at less energy than previous model Jeepson Music. Powered by the latest Blackwell GPUs, Jetson thor has more than seven times the AI compute power and twice the memory at more than three times speed and efficiency than its predecessor, Nvidia claims.
All this new power is supposed to unlock higher speed sensor data and visual reasoning that can help humanoid robots get better at autonomously seeing, moving, and making decisions.
“Jetson Thor solves one of the most significant challenges in robotics: enabling robots to have real-time, intelligent interactions with people and the physical world,” the company wrote.
It’s a considerable performance leap that Nvidia hopes will appeal to engineers. The company says early adopters include Amazon, Meta, Caterpillar, and Agility robotics, a startup that makes commercially available humanoid robots for warehouses and other manufacturing facilities. The model is being considered for adoption by John Deere and OpenAI.
It’s also being adopted by research labs at Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, and the University of Zurich, to power autonomous robots in medical research settings and more, Nvidia said in a blog post on Monday.
The developer kit Jetson AGX Thor, which includes the Jetson T5000 module plus a reference carrier board, power supply, and an active heatsink with a fan, is now on sale on the company’s website starting at $3,499.
Coming soon-and available now on pre-order-is Nvidia Drive AGX Thor, a developer kit using the same technology but for autonomous vehicles instead. Deliveries for that are slated to start in September, the company said.
Nvidia’s growing bet on robotics
Even though AI chips are Nvidia’s bread and butter, the tech giant is betting big on robotics and a
Nvidia Earnings Loom Amidst AI Market Scrutiny and Policy Shifts
Nvidia is set to report its fiscal second quarter earnings on Wednesday afternoon, a moment keenly anticipated by the market. the company’s performance is under notably close observation as the AI landscape faces increasing scrutiny regarding its economic value and is impacted by evolving geopolitical factors.
Nvidia currently dominates the artificial intelligence (AI) market, making its earnings reports consistently significant. However,this week’s declaration is amplified by recent volatility in trade policy and growing questions about whether the widespread adoption of AI will translate into substantial financial returns.
The company has navigated a complex period of policy changes in its attempts to maintain access to the crucial Chinese market for its AI chips. Recent adjustments to export controls, initially restricting sales of advanced chips to China, were partially rolled back in October 2023, allowing Nvidia to resume sales of less powerful chips. https://www.reuters.com/technology/nvidia-says-us-will-allow-exports-less-powerful-ai-chips-china-2023-10-19/ China represents a substantial portion of Nvidia’s revenue, and uncertainty surrounding access to this market continues to influence investor sentiment.
Adding to the pressure, a recent report from MIT researchers has raised concerns about the return on investment for corporate AI initiatives. The study found that less than 10% of AI pilot programs have successfully generated revenue gains, casting doubt on the immediate profitability of many AI ventures. https://news.mit.edu/2024/ai-adoption-corporate-value-0229 This finding challenges the narrative of guaranteed success surrounding AI and could impact investor expectations for companies heavily invested in the technology.
Nvidia reached a historic milestone in May 2024, becoming the first public company to surpass a $4 trillion market capitalization. https://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/30/nvidia-becomes-first-company-to-hit-4-trillion-market-cap.html Now, the company faces the challenge of demonstrating that its valuation is justified by tangible results and sustainable growth, rather than solely by investor enthusiasm for AI.