NVIDIA Sets Sights on Robotics Revolution Partnering with Tesla and Eyeing a Fragmented Market
1min read Recently, NVIDIA has been making headlines with its intensified efforts to reinforce a "winner-takes-all" trend in the industry. The tech giant plans to introduce new technologies for humanoid robots by the first half of 2025, aiming to establish a significant presence in the rapidly developing robotics sector.
The NVIDIA Jetson Thor computer, part of NVIDIA's compact computer platform tailored for AI applications, has been earmarked for robotics technology. Introduced earlier this year, it marks the company's initiative into humanoid robotics. Advances in artificial intelligence have enhanced robots' autonomy, enabling them to interact more effectively with humans and their environments.
At NVIDIA's annual meeting in March, CEO Jensen Huang demonstrated various robotic systems powered by NVIDIA's chips. However, the company does not engage directly in robot manufacturing, positioning itself as a technology provider instead.
Deepu Talla, NVIDIA's Vice President of Robotics and Edge Computing, noted during a conference in Tokyo that the company is targeting a fragmented market of "hundreds of thousands" of robot manufacturers. This strategy contrasts with the smartphone market, dominated by a few major players. Talla highlighted NVIDIA's collaboration with companies like Siemens and Universal Robots, stating, "We provide platforms for robots, not robots themselves."
In parallel, NVIDIA has partnered with Tesla, with Elon Musk revealing that Tesla's humanoid robot, Optimus, is expected to begin production by late 2025 for internal use at Tesla factories, with potential scaling for external customers in 2026. Talla emphasized that NVIDIA will supply technology for Tesla's humanoid robots, describing Tesla's efforts as a market driver.
While autonomous vehicles have garnered much attention in recent years, humanoid robots are also showing enormous potential. This technology could transform human-machine interactions across various sectors, including manufacturing, construction, healthcare, and home assistance. However, Talla also acknowledged the unlikely scenario of large-scale production-ready humanoid robots by 2025. Nonetheless, driven by major companies in the U.S. and China, the development of humanoid robots is accelerating swiftly.