The battle for dominance in artificial intelligence (AI) has a new battleground: humanoid robots. As Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says, building the foundational models for these robots is “one of the most exciting problems to solve in AI today.” This rapidly growing field, however, is a double-edged sword, attracting both fervent investment and significant skepticism.
Nvidia, a major player in the AI hardware race, is determined to be a leader in robot innovation. Following initiatives like Isaac and Jetson, they’ve announced Project GR00T at their annual GTC developer conference. This platform, potentially inspired by Marvel’s Groot, is designed to be a general-purpose foundation model for a wide range of humanoid robots.
The reach of GR00T is ambitious. It aims to be compatible with nearly every prominent humanoid robot maker, including companies like Boston Dynamics and Agility Robotics. Agility Robotics co-founder Jonathan Hurst sees this as a turning point, with robots like their “Digit” model poised to revolutionize labor. He emphasizes the importance of modern AI in accelerating development and enabling robots to assist humans in daily life.
Sanctuary AI, another major player, echoes this sentiment. Co-founder Geordie Rose highlights the potential of embodied AI to not only solve critical challenges but also create unforeseen innovations. He emphasizes the importance of collaboration in this field, praising Nvidia as a long-term partner.
Project GR00T isn’t just software. Nvidia is also introducing new hardware specifically designed for the humanoid form factor. The Jetson Thor computer boasts the processing power to run complex simulations and generative AI models. While achieving true “general purpose” robots remains years away, Nvidia’s commitment is a significant validation for the field and will likely accelerate development.
This focus on robotics extends beyond humanoids. Nvidia is also making a play for the industrial and mobile manipulator markets with Isaac Manipulator and Isaac Perceptor. Isaac Manipulator offers advanced dexterity and AI capabilities for robotic arms, promising significant efficiency gains. Major names like Universal Robots and Yaskawa are already on board.
Perceptor focuses on Nvidia’s longstanding strength: vision processing. This program specifically targets autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) with advanced 3D surround-vision capabilities. Companies like ArcBest and BYD are already signed up.
The coming years will be a fascinating race as humanoids and mobile manipulators vie for market share. Nvidia, with its diverse robotics offerings, is well-positioned to be a major player in this exciting new frontier.