Graphics card manufacturer Nvidia has aggressively pursued machine learning R&D for the last decade, touting it as the future of computing. Now, the GPU giant is primed to purchase another tech firm to forward its AI advancement efforts.
Nvidia is known first and foremost for setting the reference standard in graphics processors, especially where gaming devices are concerned, though the company has recently pivoted its focus from visuals to deep learning and artificial intelligence. The pivot is unsurprising, given the extremely broad applications of AI, including self-driving cars, robotic simulations, and automated content generation.
The deal to acquire Arm, an AI solutions and research company that is currently a subsidiary of Soft Bank, was announced on September 13th in a press release on Nvidia’s site. The purchase comes with the jaw-dropping price tag of $40 billion. Nvidia will have little trouble funding the deal, however. News of the impending acquisition comes hot on the heels of Nvidia’s unveiling of its new 30 series GPUs, including its enormous, flagship GPU, the RTX 3090.
Demand for the Nvidia’s 30 series is effectively guaranteed to outpace availability, despite concerns about motherboard compatibility and case sizes. Both gamers and machine learning enthusiasts will likely want to get their hands on the latest hardware, creating fierce competition in a year where tech production has already suffered a sharp hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nvidia’s specific plans for Arm are unclear, though the press release mentions cloud computing, deep learning algorithms, and self-driving cars. Nvidia also announced plans to expand Arm’s R&D presence in Cambridge and build a bleeding-edge supercomputer to push the boundaries of AI research. While Nvidia’s designs on artificial intelligence are ultimately much broader than gaming, AIs potential applications for games are staggering, from improved enemy intelligence to automated content generation, such as realistic AI renders based off of rudimentary sprites.
AI applications should also prove a boon to content creators like streamers. Nvidia’s forthcoming broadcast software for GeForce RTX cards enables automated background removal without the need for a green screen. While such technology is a tremendous boon to streamers, its potential applications for entertainment are even more staggering, allowing amateur filmmakers to achieve shots that are normally only possible with huge production costs.
Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s founder and CEO, stated that “AI is the most powerful technology force of our time,” painting a near utopian picture of what can be achieved through the internet of things, deep learning, and more. But not all parties are as optimistic about the potential of AI as Nvidia, however. A cautionary tale against a murderous AI is already slated for Autumn’s television line-up, and sci-fi luminaries like William Gibson have written extensively on the dangerous of economic warfare driven by advanced, algorithmic AI.
Nvidia’s acquisition of Arm is slated to be completed in approximately 18 months.
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