Nvidia, the graphic chip producer that has fueled the upsurge in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, is slated to help Japan get a leg up in the nascent tech sector.
At a meeting with Yasutoshi Nishimura, Japan’s Economic Minister, on Tuesday, December 5th in Tokyo, Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang confirmed that his company will be teaming up with several Japanese companies and start-ups, as well as independent research organizations, to build several AI factories within the country. He added that his company will invest in local start-ups, open an AI research lab, and provide the means to increase public knowledge of the technology.
Earlier, the Nvidia CEO also met with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, assuring him that Japan was among the company’s top priorities. Indeed, Huang declared that building a network of AI factories in the country would enable its people to process data to create beneficial technologies for society on top of gaining an advantage in the industry.
At the moment, Nvidia chips are being used by numerous Japanese companies, all of whom are racing to develop an AI infrastructure that will be unique to the nation. Among those involved are the likes of Mitsui & Co, NEC, telecom provider NTT, Sakura Internet, and SoftBank Corporation.
A Tech Giant Stirs
While China has become the dominant player in the tech sector, the Japanese are working to retake the lead through their longstanding knowledge of materials science, their expertise in making the chips necessary for making AI work, and the investment of billions’ worth of subsidies to boost local semiconductor production.
According to Huang, Japan has all the necessary expertise and capability to build its own AI ecosystem, aspects that can be augmented by the domestic tech sector’s bank of working experience in the fields of mass manufacturing, megatronics, as well as robotics.
