Manufacturing giant Foxconn has said it plans to use humanoid robots to make servers for Nvidia “within the next six months or so,” according to Foxconn CEO Young Liu.
As noted by Nikkei Asia, deploying humanoid robots would mark a first for the company, whose history stretches more than five decades.
Also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry, the Taiwanese behemoth makes tech products for tech giants such as Apple, Nintendo, Sony, Google, and Microsoft, as well as Nvidia.
In the U.S., Foxconn produces servers in Texas, California, and Wisconsin, with plans to expand to Ohio, too.
Using humanoid robots on the production line will improve the operation’s efficiency, Liu said, explaining recently that “speed is very critical for high technology like AI.”
A statement issued by Foxconn confirmed that it’s “currently working with Nvidia in Houston to build a next-generation smart manufacturing plant for AI servers.” It added that the facility “will also be among the first to deploy humanoid robots powered by the Nvidia Isaac GR00T N model on its production lines, as Foxconn and Nvidia aim to build a world-leading benchmark AI smart factory.”
But there are currently few details regarding the proposed deployment. For example, it’s not clear what kind of work the robots will do, and whether it will mean fewer humans taking up positions inside the facility. Foxconn certainly has form when it comes to replacing human workers with robots, albeit non-humanoid ones.
While there are some very impressive humanoid robots in development, many observers are still skeptical about whether they’re really ready to complete workplace tasks in a meaningful and effective way.
Integrating humanoid robots into a space also occupied by humans — if indeed that’s Foxconn’s plan — also presents a set of unique challenges, including ensuring the safety of regular workers in what’s likely to be a relatively confined environment.
And that six-month deadline sounds awfully tight, after all, Foxconn has yet to even unveil a humanoid robot. This could mean that either the six-month deadline will slip due to the need for more development time, or the robot deployment will be extremely limited and therefore more like a statement of intent as Foxconn continues to work on improving the technology. Watch this space …
