In BriefPosted:4:15 PM PST December 29, 2024Image Credits:Tesla /Nvidias next move: powering humanoid robotsThe chipmaking giant Nvidia is leaning more heavily into robotics in 2025. More specifically, its launching a new generation of compact computers for humanoid robots, called Jetson Thor, in the first half of the new year, confims the Financial Times.The move, which was expected, is part of an evolving, years-long strategy. Back in March, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang showed off a range of robots powered by Nvidias chips at the companys annual conference. Nvidia doesnt plan to compete directly with manufacturers like Tesla, but rather provide the hundreds of thousands of robot makers in the world with a kind of underlying OEM, as its vice president of robotics, Deepu Talla, told reporters last month in Tokyo.As for why now, Talla tells the FT that the shift owes to two technological breakthroughs: the explosion of generative AI models, and the ability to train robots on them using simulated environments.What Nvidia isnt saying but is also plainly the case: its push into AI-powered robots comes as major customers like Amazon and Google work to lessen their dependence on the outfits AI chips by developing their own.Above: Teslas humanoid robot, Optimus; Nvidia has said it supplies Tesla with tech to build the machines.Topics