Alibaba Embraces Nvidia AI

Alibaba is integrating Nvidia's AI development tools into its AI cloud platform, a move designed to accelerate the creation of AI solutions for robotics, self-driving vehicles and connected spaces. The integration will provide developers with a comprehensive, cloud-native platform to advance innovations in physical AI and humanoid robotics.

Alibaba's Cloud Intelligence division will incorporate Nvidia's complete Physical AI software stack into its Platform for AI (PAI). This includes tools for data pre-processing, synthetic data generation, model training, reinforcement learning, and simulation testing. The aim is to provide enterprise clients with an end-to-end toolchain that shortens development cycles for embodied agents and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS).

This collaboration reflects the increasing demand for AI infrastructure and Alibaba's ambition to lead AI development. CEO Eddie Wu has announced plans to increase investment in AI infrastructure, potentially exceeding the initial target of 380 billion yuan (£41.6 billion). Alibaba anticipates a tenfold increase in power consumption across its global data centres by 2032 to meet growing AI demands.