Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang unveils new Rubin AI chips at GTC 2025

Nvidia founder Jensen Huang kicked off the company’s artificial intelligence developer conference on Tuesday by telling a crowd of thousands that AI is going through “an inflection point.”

At GTC 2025 — dubbed the “Super Bowl of AI” — Huang focused his keynote on the company’s advancements in AI and his predictions for how the industry will move over the next few years. Demand for GPUs from the top four cloud service providers is surging, he said, adding that he expects Nvidia’s data center infrastructure revenue to hit $1 trillion by 2028.

Huang’s highly anticipated announcement revealed more details around Nvidia’s next-generation graphics architectures: Blackwell Ultra and Vera Rubin -- named for the famous astronomer. Blackwell Ultra is slated for the second half of 2025, while its successor, the Rubin AI chip, is expected to launch in late 2026. Rubin Ultra will take the stage in 2027.

In a talk that lasted at over two hours, Huang outlined the “extraordinary progress" that AI has made. In 10 years, he said, AI graduated from perception and “computer vision” to generative AI, and now to agentic AI — or AI that has the ability to reason.

“AI understands the context, understands what we're asking. Understands the meaning of our request,” he said. “It now generates answers. Fundamentally changed how computing is done.”

The next wave of AI, he said, is already happening: robotics.

Robotics fueled by so-called “physical AI” can understand concepts like friction and inertia, cause and effect, and object permanence, he said.

“Each one of these phases, each one of these waves, opens up new market opportunities for all of us,” Huang said.

The key to that physical AI, and many of Huang’s other announcements, was the concept of using synthetic data generation — AI or computer-created data — for model training. AI needs digital experiences to learn from, he said, and it learns at speeds that make using humans in the training loops obsolete.

“There's only so much data and so much human demonstration we can perform,” he said. “This is the big breakthrough in the last couple of years: reinforcement learning."

Nvidia's tech, he said, can help with that type of learning for AI as it attacks or tries to engage in solving a problem, step by step.

To that end, Huang announced Isaac GR00T N1, an open-source foundation model designed to assist in developing humanoid robots. Isaac GR00T N1 would be paired with an updated Cosmos AI model to help develop simulated training data for robots.

Benjamin Lee, a professor of electrical and systems engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, said that the challenge in training robotics lies in data collection because training in the real world is time-consuming and expensive.

A simulated environment has long been a standard for reinforcement learning, Lee said, so researchers can test the effectiveness of their models.

“I think it’s really exciting. Providing a platform, and an open-source one, will allow more people to learn on reinforcement learning,” Lee said. “More researchers could start playing with this synthetic data — not just big players in the industry but also academic researchers.”

Huang introduced the Cosmos series of AI models, which can generate cost-efficient photo-realistic video that can then be used to train robots and other automated services, at CES earlier this year.

The open-source model, which works with the Nvidia’s Omniverse — a physics simulation tool — to create more realistic video, promises to be much cheaper than traditional forms of gathering training, such as having cars record road experiences or having people teach robots repetitive tasks.

U.S. car maker General Motors plans to integrate Nvidia technology in its new fleet of self-driving cars, Huang said. The two two companies will work together to build custom AI systems using both Omniverse and Cosmos to train AI manufacturing models.

The Nvidia head also unveiled the company’s Halos system, an AI solution built around automotive — especially autonomous driving — safety.

“We’re the first company in the world, I believe, to have every line of code safety assessed,” Huang said.

At the end of his talk, Huang an open-source physics engine for robotics simulation called Newton, which is being developed with Google DeepMind and Disney Research.

A small, boxy robot named Blue joined him on stage, popping up from a hatch in the floor. It beeped at Huang and followed his commands, standing beside him as he wrapped up his thoughts.

“The age of generalist robotics is here,” Huang said.

CEO Jensen Huang talks during the keynote address of Nvidia GTC Tuesday, March 18, 2025, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)

CEO Jensen Huang talks during the keynote address of Nvidia GTC Tuesday, March 18, 2025, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)

CEO Jensen Huang talks during the keynote address of Nvidia GTC Tuesday, March 18, 2025, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)

CEO Jensen Huang talks during the keynote address of Nvidia GTC Tuesday, March 18, 2025, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)

CEO Jensen Huang talks during the keynote address of Nvidia GTC Tuesday, March 18, 2025, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)

CEO Jensen Huang talks during the keynote address of Nvidia GTC Tuesday, March 18, 2025, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang delivers a keynote during the Nvidia GPU Technology Conference (GTC) in San Jose, Calif., Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (Stephen Lam /San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang gives away swag to attendees on stage during the Nvidia GPU Technology Conference (GTC) in San Jose, Calif., Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (Stephen Lam /San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang delivers a keynote during the Nvidia GPU Technology Conference (GTC) in San Jose, Calif., Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (Stephen Lam /San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang delivers a keynote during the Nvidia GPU Technology Conference (GTC) in San Jose, Calif., Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (Stephen Lam /San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang speaks on stage during a keynote at the Nvidia GPU Technology Conference (GTC) in San Jose, Calif., Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (Stephen Lam /San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints have similar goals of trying to complete lost seasons on high notes that offer hope that the momentum can carry over into next season.

The bad news for the NFC South rivals is that even extending a winning streak in Sunday's final regular-season game would come far too late to make this a successful season.

The Falcons (7-9) have a season-best three-game winning streak and will try to complete their first season sweep of the Saints since 2016.

The Saints (6-10) have won four straight with rookie quarterback Tyler Shough. His strong play may already have convinced management there is no need to devote a high draft pick on another quarterback.

The Falcons will try to build on Monday night's 27-24 upset of the Los Angeles Rams. It was by far the most impressive showing of the late-season upswing that also included wins over Tampa Bay and Arizona.

“They’re playing well,” Shough said of the Falcons. "They’re on a really good winning streak. So, I think it’ll be a great matchup for us to kind of finish off the year strong.”

Atlanta's surge came too late to repair damage done by a five-game losing streak that set the groundwork for its eighth consecutive losing season.

After Michael Penix Jr. suffered a season-ending knee injury, veteran Kirk Cousins took over as Atlanta's starting quarterback for a 24-10 win at New Orleans on Nov. 23. The win in the first matchup with the Saints started a 4-2 run for the Falcons, but questions remain about the status of second-year coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot.

It's unknown if a fourth straight win would convince owner Arthur Blank to give Morris a third season.

Saints receiver Chris Olave is expected to miss the game after needing treatment of a reported blood clot in his lung.

The loss of Olave leaves the Saints without their top receiver. Olave caught eight passes for 119 yards and a touchdown in last week's 34-26 win at Tennessee and is having his best year with career-high totals of 100 receptions for 1,163 yards and nine touchdowns.

Olave's success is even more compelling in light of head injuries that sidelined him for the last half of last season.

Before this week's medical development, Olave said he was “super grateful” to play in the first 16 games. He will be denied appearing in 17 games in a season for the first time in his career.

Falcons running back Bijan Robinson has an opportunity to add to his team-record 2,255 scrimmage yards after setting the mark with 229 yards rushing and receiving against the Rams, including a career-high 195 yards rushing.

Robinson's big night included another team record with a 93-yard touchdown run. He said he's motivated to sweep the season series with the Saints and finish the season with a winning streak.

“That would be huge,” Robinson said. “That would mean a lot.”

The Saints failed to score touchdowns on any of their three red zone possessions in the first game against the Falcons. On two of those series, they didn’t score at all, missing a field goal and turning the ball over on downs at the 1-yard line.

At that point in the season, New Orleans had scored touchdowns on just 10 of its 29 red zone opportunities. In their past five games, the Saints have gone 8 of 13.

“It’s better chemistry, better feel of each other and just operating the plan,” Shough said. “It comes down to execution in that way. We’ve been able to do that and we’re going to have to do that again.”

Atlanta's defense has improved as rookie starters James Pearce Jr., Jalon Walker and Xavier Watts have gained confidence. Pearce and Walker lead NFL rookies in sacks. Watts has a rookie-best five interceptions, including two against the Rams.

“We want to win this game for this year, and for all that means,” defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said. “But the bigger picture is really laying the foundation for something special going forward. ... So this game will mean a lot in that way that we are building something special.”

Several high-profile Saints veterans are playing their final game of their contracts. They include defensive end Cam Jordan, linebacker Demario Davis and defensive back Alontae Taylor.

Jordan is a 15-year veteran who has a team-high 9½ sacks and has indicated no interest in retiring at age 36.

Davis, 37, has a team-leading and career-high 137 tackles and also sounds interested in continuing to play.

Taylor, a 2022 draft choice and four-year starter, has been plagued by inconsistency as he has moved around in the defensive backfield.

AP Sports Writer Brett Martel in New Orleans contributed to this report.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank embraces head coach Raheem Morris after an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins talks to reporters after an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) celebrates after an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (7) carries for a long gain in the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) passes against the Tennessee Titans in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)