NVIDIA and AMD CEOs Visit Japan, Meet PM Ishiba to Explore Opportunities in AI Ambitions

It appears that the CEOs of NVIDIA and AMD recently made back-to-back visits to Japan, both eager to tap into the burgeoning AI market there.

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Japan is making waves in the AI world, as the country is heavily investing in cutting-edge technology to maintain its edge in the race. The nation has extended invitations to tech giants like NVIDIA and AMD, urging them to pour resources into developing AI infrastructure, with the goal of becoming “the easiest country in the world to develop and utilize AI.” The visits from AMD’s Lisa Su and NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang are clear indicators of Japan’s rising importance on the AI map.

According to a Bloomberg report, during his visit, Jensen pushed for increased electricity generation to satisfy the booming demand from the AI sector. When he met with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, they discussed Japan’s prospects for leading in AI, leveraging its strengths in robotics and industrial manufacturing. Jensen cemented the commitment by gifting a DGX Spark AI supercomputer to the Prime Minister, signaling NVIDIA’s serious intent.

NVIDIA is encountering significant challenges in China, including new US export regulations and fierce competition, which has led to market share struggles. In light of these issues, NVIDIA is actively seeking alternative markets, with Japan emerging as an attractive option thanks to its rich R&D capabilities and its aspirations to become a global AI powerhouse.

On the other hand, Lisa Su also made her way to Japan, meeting with the Prime Minister and various partners. Although details are scarce, it’s evident that Japan is keen on AMD’s regional expansion and is inclined to nurture a partnership with Team Red for the country’s AI goals. So, the race between NVIDIA and AMD to dominate the Japanese market is officially underway.

As Lisa Su eloquently put it in a tweet, “Honored to meet Prime Minister Ishiba, and many customers, partners and @AMD employees in Tokyo last week. We look forward to deep collaboration in the coming years!” Clearly, both NVIDIA and AMD have set their sights on Japan as a key player in their global AI strategies.