Apple supplier Foxconn to put Nvidia-powered humanoid robots on production lines in its factories within six months

Humanoid robots to join Foxconn’s assembly lines

If the visuals of a horde of humanoid robots taking over production lines at factories appear scary, a massive hardware maker is planning to make it a reality. Apple manufacturing partner Foxconn has revealed it is adding bipedal robots to its workforce within the next six months.

Foxconn CEO Young Liu stated that robots will begin assembling AI servers for Nvidia. It is the first time the Taiwanese conglomerate will undertake such a deployment in its five-decade history.

Foxconn is also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry. It manufactures on contract for the biggest names in tech, including Apple, Microsoft, Google, Sony, and Nvidia. Foxconn owns US-based plants in Texas, California, and Wisconsin, and plans to expand its footprint to Ohio.

Nvidia AI drives next-generation smart factories

Nvidia, however, is not just waiting for its AI servers to roll off the production lines. The largest company by market capitalization is partnering with Foxconn to build a next-gen AI-powered factory in Houston. Foxconn will be among the first to deploy Nvidia’s Isaac GR00T N tech, which allows robots to function autonomously in production environments.

According to the two companies, the new facility is a “world-leading benchmark AI smart factory” focused on efficiency.

Scepticism and next steps

Foxconn has not provided any information about the humanoid robots and their capabilities. In addition, there is no indication of how many such robots the company will commission. However, what is certain is that putting robots alongside human workers requires careful planning to ensure safety and surmount logistics challenges.