Even for a seasoned keynote professional like Jensen Huang, there’s all the time the chance that issues do not go totally to plan.
The Nvidia CEO opened the corporate’s Berlin convention on Wednesday to make the case that Europe ought to construct its personal AI economy — full with AI factories, autonomous brokers, and robots.
However the pitch was interrupted about 20 minutes into the keynote by protesters holding a Greenpeace banner studying, “Nvidia, clear your soiled enterprise!”
One protester shouted: “Clear up your act! What in regards to the know-how that was present in Russian drones? These had been Nvidia chips. What are you doing about that? What are you doing in regards to the environmental destruction?”
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The protester gave the impression to be referring to an August statement from Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence, which stated it had recognized an Nvidia Jetson Orin pc module in a Russian S-71 Monochrome cruise missile. The company didn’t allege that Nvidia knowingly equipped the component to Russia.
Greenpeace stated in a press release that it is calling on Nvidia to increase its 100% renewable power goal throughout its wider provide chain and to conduct audits to make sure its know-how does not find yourself in army tools. Nvidia didn’t instantly reply to Enterprise Insider’s request for feedback.
As safety escorted the protester away, Huang stated, “Give her an opportunity,” and that “all people has an opportunity to say one thing.” He then instructed the applauding crowd: “All essential points … however let me get by way of my keynote.”
Huang, after joking that he needed to “torture” the viewers with “some training” earlier than “the leisure,” then pressed on with Nvidia’s pitch for Europe’s AI future. He unveiled DSX POD, a modular system for AI factories, and promoted OpenShell, a platform designed to assist corporations run autonomous AI brokers securely.
‘Concentrate!’
The leisure got here close to the top of the keynote, when Huang introduced 4 small robots, referred to as Microducks, from French startup Pollen Robotics onstage.
The demo was charming, however not solely obedient.
When Huang instructed the robots to “take a nap,” one stored strolling earlier than finally falling alongside the others. Later, solely two appeared to carry out a somersault when he requested them to.
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One other robotic lingered farther away from the group and tripped earlier than getting again up. “Concentrate! Keep targeted. Come right here, come right here. Keep targeted,” Huang instructed it. It will definitely approached and sat down, drawing laughter from the viewers.
Huang then closed the occasion with an AI-generated video of robots singing in a Eurovision-style contest.
The demo got here a day after Huang instructed German Chancellor Friedrich Merz that Europe couldn’t regulate its approach to technological leadership.
“There’s nothing to control if the business does not thrive,” Huang instructed Merz.
