Nvidia announced plans to enter the burgeoning humanoid robotics market with the launch of its Jetson Thor platform, scheduled for the first half of 2025. Rather than manufacturing robots directly, Nvidia aims to empower robot makers through AI technology, hoping to establish a foothold in a sector.
The Jetson Thor, Nvidia’s latest iteration in its Jetson line, is optimised specifically for humanoid robotics, marking an evolution from earlier models geared toward AI applications, reports WSJ.
Nvidia first showcased Jetson Thor earlier this year, positioning it as a key player in enabling robotic autonomy and improving human-robot interactions. These advancements leverage breakthroughs in artificial intelligence that make robots more adaptable to their environments and more responsive to human cues.
While Nvidia’s Jetson Thor platform is set to enter the market in early 2025, widespread deployment of humanoid robots is still several years away. There are challenges associated with the labour demands of industries such as manufacturing, construction, and healthcare.
Furthermore, Chinese companies are rapidly advancing in areas like mechatronics and AI to address workforce shortages.
Tesla’s development in humanoid robotics, notably the Optimus robot, is part of this rapidly evolving landscape. Optimus is slated to begin limited production by late 2025, with wider expected for external clients by 2026.
Nvidia’s technology plays a pivotal role in Optimus furthering Nvidia’s reach within the humanoid robotics sector. Elon Musk has characterised Tesla’s development in humanoid robotics as transformative, not only for Tesla’s internal needs but for broader adoption across industries.
The Jetson Thor platform intends to target the robot manufacturing market, which, unlike the smartphone sector, is quite scattered. Nvidia is betting that humanoid robots will be the future, that is, if companies solve the complex supply chain issues.
By focusing on the core AI and computational needs of humanoid robots rather than manufacturing, Nvidia is following a strategy reminiscent of Google’s approach with its Android operating system for smartphones.
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