NVIDIA, a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI) technology, has announced a strategic partnership with Foxconn to create "AI factories".

The AI factories, as per the company are data centres that will power a wide range of applications — including the digitalisation of manufacturing and inspection workflows, the development of AI-powered electric vehicle and robotics platforms, and a growing number of language-based generative AI services.

Foxconn's integration of NVIDIA technology extends beyond data centres, as they develop their smart solution platforms:

Foxconn Smart EV:

Utilising the NVIDIA DRIVE Hyperion 9 platform, this initiative is focused on autonomous automotive fleets, powered by NVIDIA DRIVE Thor.

Foxconn Smart Manufacturing: Robotic systems will be revolutionized with the incorporation of the NVIDIA Isaac autonomous mobile robot platform.

Foxconn Smart City: The plan is to incorporate the NVIDIA Metropolis intelligent video analytics platform to enhance urban infrastructure.

The collaboration was announced during a fireside chat with NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang and Foxconn Chairman and CEO Young Liu at Hon Hai Tech Day, in Taipei

“Most importantly, NVIDIA and Foxconn are building these factories together. We will be helping the whole industry move much faster into the new AI era,” said Foxconn Chairman and CEO Young Liu.

“A new type of manufacturing has emerged — the production of intelligence. And the data centres that produce it are AI factories,” said Huang. “Foxconn, the world’s largest manufacturer, has the expertise and scale to build AI factories globally. We are delighted to expand our decade-long partnership with Foxconn to accelerate the AI industrial revolution.”

This collaboration will enable Foxconn to build systems for their global customer base, equipped with NVIDIA CPUs, GPUs, and networking, all optimized with NVIDIA AI Enterprise software.

Key NVIDIA technologies utilised include HGX reference designs, GH200 Superchips, OVX reference designs, and NVIDIA networking. These systems are also said to empower Foxconn's customers to deliver generative AI services and expedite the training of autonomous machines through simulation.

Foxconn also has its sights set on establishing its AI factory, leveraging the NVIDIA Omniverse platform and Isaac and Metropolis frameworks to meet the high standards of the electronics industry. This approach promises to drive operational efficiency gains by simulating the entire robotics and automation pipeline before deployment.

Furthermore, Foxconn is set to provide a range of NVIDIA DRIVE solutions to global automakers. They will serve as a tier-one manufacturer of NVIDIA DRIVE Orin-based electronic control units (ECUs), with plans to scale up to NVIDIA DRIVE Thor-based ECUs. This will enable the delivery of highly automated and autonomous, AI-rich electric vehicles equipped with the upcoming NVIDIA DRIVE Hyperion 9 platform, heralding a new era of secure, software-defined cars.

Also Read: Foxconn expands its presence in India with new investments in manufacturing facilities

(Edited by : Amrita)