Nvidia has a history of predicting major tech trends and developing tools in anticipation. The company did this with large language models, creating the world's largest model, Megatron, in 2021, which led to the current boom in generative AI. Nvidia is now applying this approach to robotics, with Project Groot, a foundation model for robotics announced in March. The company's goal is to encourage others to build on top of what Nvidia offers.
Key takeaways:
- Rev Lebaredian, vice president of omniverse and simulation technology at Nvidia, is leading the company's efforts in robotics development, including building robot brains and creating a virtual world for robots to learn and practice tasks.
- Nvidia's strategy involves anticipating tech trends, building tools, and enabling innovation, even if the technology they build is not immediately sold or used commercially.
- Lebaredian's career trajectory mirrors Nvidia's evolution from graphics to AI and robotics, with the company's technologies being used in simulations for self-driving cars and robots.
- Nvidia is currently working on Project Groot, a foundation model for robotics, which they hope will spur a boom in robotics similar to the one seen in generative AI following the release of ChatGPT.