US technology company Nvidia Corp and Fujitsu Ltd, a Japanese telecommunications and computer maker, yesterday agreed to work together on artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver smart robots and a variety of other innovations using Nvidia’s computer chips.
“The AI industrial revolution has already begun. Building the infrastructure to power it is essential in Japan and around the world,” Nvidia chief executive officer Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) said, hugging his Fujitsu counterpart Takahito Tokita on stage.
“Japan can lead the world in AI and robotics,” Huang told reporters at a Tokyo hotel.
Photo: AFP
The companies would work together on building what they called “an AI infrastructure,” or the system on which the various futuristic AI uses would be based, including healthcare, manufacturing, the environment, next-generation computing and customer services. The hope is to establish that AI infrastructure for Japan by 2030.
It would initially be tailored for the Japanese market, leveraging Fujitsu’s decades-long experience there, but might later expand globally, and would utilize Nvidia’s graphics processing units (GPUs), which are essential for AI, according to both sides.
The two executives did not outline specific projects or give a monetary figure for planned investments, but exploring collaboration in AI for robots with Yaskawa Electric Corp, a Japanese machinery and robot maker, was noted as a possible example.
AI would be constantly evolving and learning, they said.
Fujitsu and Nvidia have been working together on AI, speeding up manufacturing with digital twins and robotics to tackle aging Japan’s labor shortages.
Tokita said the companies were taking a “human-centric” approach aimed at keeping Japan competitive.
“Through our collaboration with Nvidia, we aim to create new, unprecedented technologies and contribute to solving even more serious social issues,” Tokita said.
ENERGY ISSUES: The TSIA urged the government to increase natural gas and helium reserves to reduce the impact of the Middle East war on semiconductor supply stability Chip testing and packaging service provider ASE Technology Holding Co (日月光投控) yesterday said it planned to invest more than NT$100 billion (US$3.15 billion) in building a new advanced chip testing facility in Kaohsiung to keep up with customer demand driven by the artificial intelligence (AI) boom. That would be included in the company’s capital expenditure budget next year, ASE said. There is also room to raise this year’s capital spending budget from a record-high US$7 billion estimated three months ago, it added. ASE would have six factories under construction this year, another record-breaking number, ASE chief operating officer Tien Wu
The EU and US are nearing an agreement to coordinate on producing and securing critical minerals, part of a push to break reliance on Chinese supplies. The potential deal would create incentives, such as minimum prices, that could advantage non-Chinese suppliers, according to a draft of an “action plan” seen by Bloomberg. The EU and US would also cooperate on standards, investments and joint projects, as well as coordinate on any supply disruptions by countries like China. The two sides are additionally seeking other “like-minded partners” to join a multicountry accord to help create these new critical mineral supply chains, which feed into
For weeks now, the global tech industry has been waiting for a major artificial intelligence (AI) launch from DeepSeek (深度求索), seen as a benchmark for China’s progress in the fast-moving field. More than a year has passed since the start-up put Chinese AI on the map in early last year with a low-cost chatbot that performed at a similar level to US rivals. However, despite reports and rumors about its imminent release, DeepSeek’s next-generation “V4” model is nowhere in sight. Speculation is also swirling over the geopolitical implications of which computer chips were chosen to train and power the new
TECH WINNERS: Taiwan and South Korea reported robust trade, which suggests that they have critical advantages in the rapidly expanding AI supply chain, an official said Exports last month surged to a new high, as booming demand tied to artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure fueled shipments of advanced technology components, underscoring the nation’s pivotal role in the global semiconductor supply chain. Outbound shipments climbed to US$80.18 billion, the highest ever for a single month, rising 61.8 percent from a year earlier and marking the 29th consecutive month of growth, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. “The surge was driven primarily by global investment in AI infrastructure,” Department of Statistics Director-General Beatrice Tsai (蔡美娜) said. The mass production of next-generation AI computing systems has accelerated procurement across the semiconductor supply
RSS