Nvidia 2024 AI Event: Everything Revealed in 16 Minutes

CNET
18 Mar 202416:00

TLDRThe transcript discusses the unveiling of Blackwell, a revolutionary computing platform with 28 billion transistors and a unique architecture that allows two dies to function as one, offering 10 terabytes per second of data transfer. The platform is designed for the generative AI era, with a focus on content token generation and memory coherence. It is compatible with existing Hopper installations and is set to be integrated into various systems by partners like AWS, Google, and Microsoft. Additionally, the transcript introduces the MVY link switch chip with 50 billion transistors, designed for high-speed communication between GPUs. The presentation also touches on Nvidia's partnerships with companies like SAP, Cohesity, Snowflake, and NetApp, highlighting the Nvidia AI Foundry's role in creating AI-driven solutions across industries. The future of AI and robotics is further discussed, with mentions of the Jetson Thor robotics chip and the Isaac lab for training humanoid robots.

Takeaways

  • ๐Ÿš€ **Innovation in GPU Design**: The introduction of Blackwell, a revolutionary GPU design with 28 billion transistors, marking a significant shift in how GPUs are perceived and structured.
  • ๐Ÿ”— **Memory Coherence and Inter-Die Communication**: Blackwell features a unique design where two dies communicate seamlessly, with 10 terabytes per second of data transfer, eliminating memory locality and cache issues.
  • ๐ŸŒ **Compatibility with Existing Infrastructure**: Blackwell is designed to be form-fit function compatible with Hopper, allowing for easy integration into existing systems without the need for significant infrastructure changes.
  • ๐Ÿ’ก **Content Token Generation**: A key component of the new processor is content token generation, utilizing a format known as FP4, which is crucial for the generative AI era.
  • ๐ŸŒŸ **MVY Link Switch**: The development of an impressive MVY link switch chip with 50 billion transistors, capable of 1.8 terabytes per second data transfer and integrated computation, enabling full-speed communication between GPUs.
  • ๐Ÿ”Œ **System Integration**: The creation of a system that integrates multiple GPUs, resulting in an exaflops AI system in a single rack, showcasing the potential for extreme computational density.
  • ๐Ÿค– **AI and Robotics Partnerships**: Nvidia is collaborating with various companies to build AI-driven solutions, such as service now assist virtual assistance and generative AI agents, leveraging the power of the Nvidia ecosystem.
  • ๐Ÿง  **Nvidia AI Foundry**: The launch of Nvidia AI Foundry, which aims to be an AI equivalent of a chip foundry, offering services like Nemo for data preparation and model fine-tuning, and Nims for inference.
  • ๐Ÿ“ˆ **Industry Impact**: Nvidia's AI Foundry is working with major companies like SAP, Cohesity, Snowflake, and NetApp to develop co-pilots and AI-driven solutions, indicating a broad impact across various industries.
  • ๐ŸŒ **Omniverse and Digital Twins**: The use of Omniverse for digital twin simulations, allowing for AI agents to navigate complex industrial spaces and improve productivity, with the OVX computer hosted in the Azure Cloud.
  • ๐Ÿค– **Jetson Thor and Robotics**: The development of Jetson Thor robotics chips, designed for future AI-powered robotics, and the showcase of Disney's BDX robots demonstrating the capabilities of Nvidia's robotics technology.

Q & A

  • What is the significance of the Blackwell platform mentioned in the transcript?

    -Blackwell is a revolutionary computing platform that has changed the traditional concept of GPUs. It features 28 billion transistors and enables two dies to function as one chip, eliminating memory locality and cache issues. This platform is designed to cater to the demands of the generative AI era.

  • How does the Hopper chip relate to the Blackwell platform?

    -The Hopper chip and the Blackwell platform are closely related. Blackwell is designed to be form-fit, function-compatible with Hopper, allowing for a seamless transition from Hopper to Blackwell. This compatibility means that installations of Hoppers around the world can be upgraded to Blackwell efficiently, given that they share the same infrastructure, design, power requirements, and software.

  • What is the role of the MVY link switch in the Blackwell system?

    -The MVY link switch is a critical component of the Blackwell system. It contains 50 billion transistors and features four MV links, each capable of transferring data at 1.8 terabytes per second. This switch allows every single GPU to communicate with every other GPU at full speed simultaneously, which is essential for building large-scale, high-performance computing systems.

  • How does the Blackwell chip facilitate memory coherence?

    -The Blackwell chip facilitates memory coherence by creating a configuration where the two sides of the chip do not have any awareness of which side they're on. This design effectively treats the two CH dies as one giant chip, eliminating memory locality issues and cache coherence problems, allowing for seamless data transfer and computation across the chip.

  • What is the purpose of the fp4 format mentioned in the transcript?

    -The fp4 format is a content token generation method developed for the generative AI era. It is an integral part of the Blackwell platform, enabling efficient data processing and computation for AI applications. The fp4 format is optimized for the high-speed data transfer and memory coherence required by advanced AI systems.

  • What are some of the companies partnering with Nvidia for the Blackwell platform?

    -Several major companies are partnering with Nvidia for the Blackwell platform. These include Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Oracle, and Dell. These partnerships involve various aspects of AI development, including secure AI, data processing, cloud computing, and AI-driven services.

  • How does Nvidia's AI Foundry service function?

    -Nvidia's AI Foundry is a comprehensive service that assists companies in developing AI solutions. It provides a platform for building, optimizing, and deploying AI models across a wide range of Nvidia's hardware base. The service includes the NIMS (Nvidia inference microservice), Nemo microservice for data preparation, and access to the dgx Cloud. It effectively acts as an AI factory, helping companies to scale their AI initiatives.

  • What is the role of the Jetson Thor robotics chips in the transcript's context?

    -The Jetson Thor robotics chips are designed for the future of AI-powered robotics. They are part of Nvidia's efforts to provide the building blocks for next-generation robots, like the ones featured in the transcript with the Disney robots. These chips are integral to enabling robots to learn, adapt, and perform tasks with human-like movements and interactions.

  • How does the Omniverse platform contribute to AI and robotics?

    -The Omniverse platform serves as a digital twin of the physical world, allowing for the creation of sophisticated digital twins for AI agents and robots. It provides a virtual environment where robots can learn and be trained before being deployed in the real world. The platform also integrates with various design and engineering tools, facilitating a unified workflow across different departments and enhancing productivity.

  • What is the significance of the Isaac lab and Project Groot mentioned in the transcript?

    -Isaac lab is a robot learning application developed by Nvidia for training AI models like Project Groot. Project Groot is a general-purpose foundation model for humanoid robot learning, capable of taking multimodal instructions and producing actions for robots to execute. The combination of Isaac lab and Project Groot represents a significant step towards advanced AI-powered robotics, enabling robots to learn from human demonstrations and assist with everyday tasks.

Outlines

00:00

๐Ÿš€ Introducing Blackwell: A Revolutionary Computing Platform

The paragraph introduces Blackwell, a groundbreaking computing platform that redefines traditional GPU architecture. It highlights the Hopper chip, which contains 28 billion transistors and enables two dies to function as one, with 10 terabytes of data transfer per second. The speaker emphasizes the lack of memory locality or cache issues, presenting Blackwell as a form-fit, function-compatible upgrade to existing Hopper installations worldwide. The paragraph also discusses the challenges of ramping up such an efficient system and introduces the concept of content token generation with fp4 format. The speaker expresses the need for faster computing advancements to keep up with the generative AI era, leading to the development of an additional chip, the mvy link switch, with 50 billion transistors and a capacity for high-speed inter-GPU communication. The paragraph concludes by showcasing the potential of these technologies in creating powerful AI systems and thanking various partners for their collaboration in preparing for Blackwell.

05:00

๐Ÿค– Nvidia's Collaborations and AI Ecosystem Expansion

This paragraph discusses Nvidia's extensive collaborations with major tech companies to optimize and accelerate various aspects of computing and AI. It mentions partnerships with Google, GCP, Oracle, Microsoft, and others, focusing on the integration of Nvidia's technologies into their platforms and services. The speaker talks about the development of AI services on Microsoft Azure, the integration of Nvidia Healthcare and Omniverse into Azure, and the establishment of the Nvidia inference microservice, also known as Nims. The paragraph also highlights Nvidia's role as an AI Foundry, comparing it to the manufacturing role of TSMC in chip production. It announces collaborations with companies like SAP, Cohesity, Snowflake, and NetApp to build AI-powered co-pilots and virtual assistants using Nvidia's technologies.

10:00

๐ŸŒ The Future of AI and Robotics: Omniverse and AI Factories

The speaker discusses the importance of a simulation engine for digital representation of the world, introducing the Omniverse as a virtual environment for AI and robotics development. The computer running Omniverse, called ovx, is hosted in the Azure Cloud. The paragraph emphasizes the concept of digital twins and the role of AI agents in navigating complex industrial spaces. It also announces the streaming of Omniverse Cloud to The Vision Pro, highlighting the integration of various design tools with Omniverse for enhanced workflows. The speaker introduces Nvidia Project Groot, a foundation model for humanoid robot learning, and Isaac lab, an application for training robots in Omniverse. The paragraph also mentions the Jetson Thor robotics chip and the potential of these technologies in creating AI-powered robotics for the future.

15:02

๐ŸŽ‰ Unveiling Blackwell: A New Era of GPU Design

In this final paragraph, the speaker reiterates the significance of Blackwell as a revolutionary computing platform, summarizing its key features and the technological advancements it represents. The speaker reflects on the collaborative efforts that have led to the creation of Blackwell and the MV link switches, and the innovative system design that has made these advancements possible. The paragraph concludes with a celebration of the unveiling of Blackwell, positioning it as a new era in GPU design and a testament to Nvidia's commitment to pushing the boundaries of computing and AI.

Mindmap

Keywords

๐Ÿ’กDevelopers Conference

A Developers Conference is an event where software developers gather to share knowledge, learn about new technologies, and discuss industry trends. In the context of the video, it is emphasized that the setting is not a concert, but rather a place for the presentation of scientific and technological advancements, particularly in computer architecture and AI.

๐Ÿ’กGPUs

GPUs, or Graphics Processing Units, are specialized electronic circuits designed to rapidly manipulate and alter memory to accelerate the creation of images in a frame buffer intended for output to a display device. In the video, it is mentioned that the company makes GPUs, but they have evolved in a way that they don't look like traditional GPUs anymore, referring to the Hopper and Blackwell technologies.

๐Ÿ’กHopper

Hopper refers to a technology or product mentioned in the video that has changed the world, presumably a significant advancement in computing or a new type of chip. It is used as a point of reference to introduce the Blackwell platform, indicating a progression from Hopper to Blackwell.

๐Ÿ’กBlackwell

Blackwell is the name of a platform or technology introduced in the video, which is a significant advancement in chip design with 28 billion transistors. It represents a new era of computing, particularly for generative AI, and is capable of high-speed data transfer and memory coherence, making it appear as one giant chip.

๐Ÿ’กMemory Coherence

Memory coherence in computer architecture refers to the consistency of data across multiple processors or cores in a system. It ensures that all processors see the same data at the same time, which is crucial for parallel computing and high-performance computing systems. In the context of the video, Blackwell chip achieves memory coherence, allowing for seamless data sharing between its two sides.

๐Ÿ’กContent Token Generation

Content Token Generation is a process or technology related to the handling of data in AI systems, although the specific details are not provided in the script. It is mentioned as one of the important parts of the new processor for the generative AI era, suggesting it plays a key role in how AI systems process and understand content.

๐Ÿ’กMVY Link Switch

The MVY Link Switch is a component described in the video with 50 billion transistors, suggesting it is a high-performance networking device. It has four MV links, each capable of transferring data at 1.8 terabytes per second, and includes computation capabilities. This indicates that it is designed to facilitate high-speed communication between GPUs for enhanced computational performance.

๐Ÿ’กDGX System

A DGX System refers to NVIDIA's Data Center GPU platform designed for artificial intelligence workloads. It is a high-performance computing system that integrates multiple GPUs to provide massive parallel processing power for AI and deep learning tasks. The video mentions a DGX system as an example of the type of system that can benefit from the new Blackwell technology.

๐Ÿ’กAI Foundry

AI Foundry is a term used in the video to describe a service or platform that facilitates the development and deployment of AI applications. It is likened to a factory for AI, where companies can come with their ideas, and the foundry helps manufacture and optimize AI solutions. The AI Foundry is presented as a comprehensive service that includes software optimization, packaging, and integration with various platforms.

๐Ÿ’กOmniverse

Omniverse is a platform for 3D design collaboration and simulation introduced by NVIDIA. It provides a virtual world or digital twin where AI agents, robots, and infrastructure can be developed and tested in a simulated environment before real-world deployment. The platform is designed to connect various design and engineering tools, enabling seamless collaboration and productivity.

๐Ÿ’กJetson Thor

Jetson Thor is a robotics chip mentioned in the video, designed for the future of AI-powered robotics. It is part of the new generation of chips that power intelligent systems, providing the computational capabilities needed for robots to learn, understand, and execute tasks effectively.

Highlights

Arrival at a developers conference with a focus on science, algorithms, computer architecture, and mathematics.

Introduction of the Blackwell platform, which is a significant advancement in chip technology.

Hopper, a revolutionary chip with 28 billion transistors, has changed the world of computing.

The Blackwell chip features a unique design where two dies are connected in a way that they function as one, with 10 terabytes of data transfer per second.

The Blackwell chip is form fit function compatible with Hopper, allowing for seamless integration into existing systems.

The development of a new processor for the generative AI era, emphasizing content token generation with a new format called FP4.

The incredible MVY link switch chip with 50 billion transistors, capable of 1.8 terabytes per second data transfer and integrated computation.

The creation of a system where every GPU can communicate with every other GPU at full speed simultaneously.

The announcement of partnerships with major companies like AWS, Google, and Microsoft to accelerate AI services and optimize GCP.

Nvidia's role as an AI Foundry, providing a comprehensive ecosystem for AI development, including NIMS, NEMO microservice, and DGX Cloud.

Collaboration with SAP to build SAP Jewel co-pilots using Nvidia Nemo and DGX Cloud, impacting global commerce.

The development of generative AI agents with Cohesity, a company that backs up a significant portion of the world's data.

Snowflake's partnership with Nvidia AI Foundry to build co-pilots, serving a vast number of enterprise customers and queries daily.

NetApp's collaboration with Nvidia AI Foundry to build chatbots and co-pilots, storing nearly half of the world's files.

Dell's partnership for building AI factories, leveraging their expertise in end-to-end systems for large-scale enterprises.

The importance of the simulation engine Omniverse for digital representation of the world, enabling AI agents and robots to learn and navigate complex spaces.

Nvidia Project Groot, a general-purpose foundation model for humanoid robot learning, showcasing the intersection of computer graphics, physics, and AI.

The demonstration of Disney's BDX robots powered by Jetson, illustrating the practical applications of AI and robotics in real-world scenarios.

The unveiling of the Blackwell chip as the future of GPU design, representing a significant leap in computing capabilities.