Jensen Huang, Nvidia CEO: Humanoid robots to roam around in five years

In a bold prediction, Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, has stated that humanoid robots will be widely used in factories within just a few years—not five or more as some might expect. Speaking at Nvidia’s annual developer conference, held in a packed hockey stadium, Huang introduced groundbreaking software tools designed to help robots navigate the real world with greater ease.

AI's Ubiquity and the Rise of Humanoid Robots

During a post-speech discussion with journalists, Huang was asked about key indicators that artificial intelligence (AI) has become truly omnipresent. One of his most striking responses was that a major sign would be when “humanoid robots are walking among us.”

“And that won’t take five years,” Huang emphasized. “It’s not a five-year problem—it’s just a matter of a few years.”

Factories: The First Adopters of Humanoid Robots

According to Huang, the manufacturing sector is set to be the first major adopter of humanoid robots. The structured nature of factory environments, combined with well-defined tasks, makes automation significantly easier to implement.

“I believe they should be deployed in factories first. The reason is that the domain is much more regulated, and their use is much more specific,” Huang explained.

He also highlighted the economic advantage of humanoid robots in manufacturing: “Their value is very, very easy to establish. The cost to rent a humanoid robot is likely around $100,000, and I believe that’s a solid economic deal.”

While the price may seem high at first glance, it’s worth noting that the U.S. Census Bureau reported a median household income of $80,610 in 2023, suggesting that in an industrial setting, these robots could soon become cost-effective alternatives to human labor.

Nvidia’s Big Bet on Humanoid Robotics and AI

Nvidia officially entered the humanoid robotics race last year, unveiling a powerful hardware and software platform for building human-like robots with generative AI capabilities. The new platform will integrate an advanced computing system that powers both the robot’s physical operations and AI-driven intelligence.

This ecosystem includes a software suite with generative AI (genAI) and other key tools to enable the creation of truly humanoid robots, as announced during Nvidia’s annual developer conference.

“These smarter, faster, and more capable robots will be deployed in heavy industries worldwide,” said Rev Lebaredian, Nvidia’s Vice President of Omniverse and Simulation Technology. “We’re working with the entire global ecosystem of robotics and simulation to accelerate development and adoption.”

With Nvidia’s aggressive push into AI-driven robotics, the question isn’t whether humanoid robots will revolutionize industries, but how soon. As advancements in AI continue at an exponential pace, businesses must prepare for a future where intelligent robots work alongside humans in ways never before imagined.

Key Takeaways:

• Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang predicts widespread humanoid robot adoption in just a few years.
• Factories will be the first to integrate these robots due to structured environments and defined tasks.
• Nvidia has developed an AI-powered hardware and software platform for humanoid robots.
• Economic factors make humanoid robots a viable solution for industrial applications.
• The AI robotics revolution is accelerating faster than expected, reshaping the future of work.