Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, expressed his belief on Wednesday that Europe’s engineering skills provide a significant advantage in the fields of physical AI and robotics. This statement coincided with the announcement of broadened partnerships involving European manufacturers and startups during Nvidia’s GTC conference in Berlin, which is part of Huang’s tour across Europe, including stops in London, Paris, Stockholm, and Dublin.
“Every company in Europe will become an AI company,” Huang proclaimed at the conference.
He emphasized that no other region has the same level of dedication to mechatronics, electronics, and mechanical systems as Europe, noting the precision and craftsmanship present in these fields.
To showcase Europe’s innovative capabilities, Huang took the stage alongside small duck-shaped robots trained with AI, a product of a collaboration between French startup Pollen Robotics and Hugging Face, where he asked them to perform somersaults.
Nvidia has reportedly pledged nearly $10 billion to support Europe’s tech ecosystem, establishing a strong position in providing the necessary processors and software for robotic systems, indicating a vested interest in the success of the region’s industry.
During the event, it was revealed that Germany’s Agile Robots plans to collaborate with Nvidia to produce between 1,000 and 2,000 small humanoid robots starting production late this year, as CEO Zhaopeng Chen informed Reuters.
Huang pointed out that, despite Europe often being overshadowed by the US and Asia in the AI sector, it’s crucial for the region to actively participate in this evolving landscape. He urged that it’s not enough to merely consume AI technologies; Europe should aim to produce them as well.
In a separate announcement, Nvidia introduced a new DSX POD design intended for factory-built data center modules, utilizing its Vera Rubin platform. The company noted that these modules could now be deployed in as little as two weeks—a significant improvement compared to the previous timeline of six months.
However, the presentation had its hiccups. The Microducks demonstrated that even with advanced AI, not everything unfolds smoothly when instructing robots. Three of the robots fell over immediately when Huang commanded them to nap, while a fourth required additional coaxing. One robot even appeared distracted and turned the wrong way as Huang concluded his speech. “Pay attention, stay focused,” he said with a hint of frustration.
