NVIDIA, Foxconn partner to build 'AI factories' for self-driving cars
What's the story
Tech giants NVIDIA and Foxconn are teaming up to create "AI factories" and data centers that will offer supercomputing power for developing self-driving cars, autonomous machines, and industrial robots. Announced at 'Hon Hai Tech Day' in Taiwan, the AI factory will be built on NVIDIA's GPU computing infrastructure. It will turn massive amounts of data into valuable AI models and insights. This collaboration builds on the companies' January agreement to develop autonomous vehicle platforms.
Development
AI factories will accelerate the development of self-driving vehicle
These upcoming AI factories will be essential in creating software for advanced electric vehicles (EVs) with AI brains, enabling them to interact with drivers and passengers while also driving autonomously. As these vehicles gather more data over time, the AI factory will use this information to enhance the software and update the entire fleet. Foxconn has already committed to manufacturing electronic control units (ECUs) with NVIDIA's Drive Thor system-on-a-chip (SoC) after production starts in 2025.
Competition
They plan to compete with Tesla's Dojo supercomputer
The upcoming AI factories will go head-to-head with Tesla's Dojo supercomputer, which started production earlier this year. While the EV maker currently relies on an NVIDIA GPU-based supercomputer, the new Dojo will be using in-house-developed custom-built chips. On the other hand, the Foxconn-NVIDIA factories will use the latter's GH200 Grace Hopper Superchip and AI Enterprise software. These factories aim to offer a competitive alternative for other automakers looking to develop self-driving capabilities.
Expansion
Expanding applications beyond self-driving cars is also a need
Foxconn's CEO Young Liu shared the company's goal of transforming "from a manufacturing service company to a platform solutions company" by expanding the AI factories across various industries. Initially targeting smart EVs, smart cities, and smart manufacturing, these AI factories are expected to make a significant impact on multiple sectors. NVIDIA's CEO Jensen Huang envisions that "in the future, every industry, every company will have an AI factory."