NVIDIA General Director Jensen Juang shared his vision of the future at the event Cadencelive Silicon Valley 2024, predicting that humanoid robots will soon become a mass product, revolutionizing various industries. Juang believes that the production costs of humanoid robots will be low, making them as affordable as inexpensive cars, with prices ranging from $10,000 to $20,000.
He pointed out the potential adaptability and versatility of robots in artificial environments, stating that they can efficiently perform dangerous, monotonous, or time-consuming tasks, thereby enhancing productivity and safety in workplaces. Elon Musk has also supported this vision, indicating that the production costs of the Humanoid robot Optimus are half the cost of Tesla electric vehicles, with an initial price estimate between $25,000 and $30,000.
In March, NVIDIA introduced Project GR00T – a basic model for humanoid robots, and Unveiled Jetson Thor, a powerful computer system designed specifically for such robots. Jetson Thor, built on the NVIDIA Thor system, offers high performance, energy efficiency, and compact dimensions, facilitating advancements in humanoid robotics.
Furthermore, NVIDIA’s collaboration with key humanoid robot manufacturers such as 1x Technologies, Agility Robotics, and Boston Dynamics underscores their joint efforts in developing sophisticated artificial intelligence platforms for robotics.
Earlier this year, Elon Musk shared his thoughts on the future of robotics, concurring with David Holtz’s forecast that by the 2040s, there will be approximately one billion humanoid robots on Earth. At the recent NVIDIA GTC developers conference in March, Jensen Juang discusseda the future of general AI (AGI), opposite to highly specialized AI, capable of performing a wide range of cognitive tasks at or above the human level. Concerns have been raised about the implications of AGI reaching a certain level of autonomy and capabilities, potentially leading to unpredictable or irreversible AI actions.