Nvidia announced on Thursday that it is partnering with Japanese companies including Fanuc and Yaskawa Electric to advance the development of robotics and AI. According to Reuters, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang stated at a media event in Tokyo that 'With AI, robots will become smart, easily adaptable and accessible'. The partnership represents a significant expansion of Nvidia's collaboration with Japan's industrial leaders, building on the strong relationships established through recent supply chain meetings.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang recently conducted a high-profile meeting in Tokyo's Kanda district, gathering key Japanese suppliers integral to the AI supply chain. As reported by Bloomberg, the gathering took place at a cozy izakaya in the area popular for after-work drinks, transforming a traditional Tokyo neighborhood into a venue for the AI boom. The meeting included executives from Kioxia Holdings Corp., maker of advanced flash memory chips, Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., the world's leading provider of advanced silicon wafers, and other significant companies including Tokyo Electron Ltd., Ajinomoto Co., Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd., and Taiyo Yuden Co. Huang was pictured last night with executives of leading Japanese supply chain firms including the CEOs of chipmaker Kioxia and equipment maker Tokyo Electron.
The meeting highlighted Japan's fundamental role in Nvidia's AI ecosystem, as reported by Bloomberg. Huang emphasized that while semiconductor manufacturing occurs globally, the fundamental technology, chemical technology, materials technology, and fundamental sciences come from Japan. The gathering included executives from companies across Japan's vast industrial ecosystem, including Nitto Boseki Co., responsible for almost all the world's ultra-thin T-Glass cloth used to prevent chip warping. The crowd outside the izakaya included bystanders hoping for a glimpse of the man referred to as kawajan-san on social media.
Huang has achieved rock star status in Taiwan and his appearances have generated significant interest from onlookers in Japan, which boasts leading companies in the chipmaking supply chain. According to Reuters, 'I think he's the most influential man on Earth,' said Chang Hui-Yu, a 57-year-old Taiwanese tourist, speaking outside the Sega event. 'It was my first time seeing Jensen Huang in person and I was so excited,' said Brian Yang, 57, who is Taiwanese and lives in Tokyo. Investors are weighing the strength of the AI investment cycle, with chipmaking equipment maker ASML on Wednesday raising its sales forecast and pledging capacity expansion. TSMC, the world's leading contract chipmaker, is expected to post a fifth consecutive quarter of record earnings on Thursday due to the AI boom.
