Published Date : 11/06/2025
Jensen Huang, the chief executive of Nvidia, recently met with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer to open London Tech Week and discuss the future of artificial intelligence. During the event, both Huang and Starmer made significant announcements that tie AI to national economic planning, backed by major investments in infrastructure, talent, and collaboration between government and industry. One of the most striking statements came from Huang, who claimed that AI has advanced a million times over the last decade.
In the last 10 years, AI has advanced 1 million times, according to Huang. The speed of change is indeed incredible, and this statement underscores the rapid pace of technological progress in the field of AI. However, Huang did not elaborate on whether he was referring to AI software, such as larger language models and reasoning models, or AI hardware, which is Nvidia's primary focus. Given Nvidia's expertise in hardware, it is likely that Huang was highlighting the improvements in AI hardware, particularly the company's GPUs and systems.
Nvidia's advancements in AI hardware are nothing short of remarkable. Last year, the company announced that its Blackwell B200 processors deliver 20,000 times higher inference performance compared to the Pascal P100 processor from 2016. Specifically, the B200 offers performance of around 20,000 FP4 TFLOPS, while the P100 could only manage 19 FP16 TFLOPS. Although this is not an apples-to-apples comparison, it makes sense in the context of inference. Moreover, the Blackwell is also 42,500 times more energy efficient in terms of joules per generated tokens.
In addition to higher performance GPUs, companies like Nvidia, xAI, and Microsoft are building AI systems that are dramatically faster than those available in 2016. For example, xAI currently runs an AI supercomputer featuring 200,000 Hopper GPUs. Elon Musk has even stated that the company plans to scale this system to a million Blackwell GPUs, which will not only deliver record-breaking performance for AI but will also be one of the industry's highest-performing supercomputers in general.
American companies are not the only ones investing heavily in AI infrastructure. The U.K. has committed to spending approximately £1 billion on advanced computing resources dedicated to AI by the end of the decade, with initial funding already underway. Nvidia will establish a new research center in the U.K. focused on AI development, supporting work in areas such as robotics, environmental modeling, and material science. The company will also launch a national developer education initiative aimed at improving AI-related technical skills. Additionally, Nvidia will work with the U.K.'s financial regulator to power a secure testing environment for AI and collaborate on efforts to accelerate 6G research.
While the U.K.'s systems currently pale in comparison to American AI supercomputers, the country is making significant strides. The most powerful AI system in the U.K. is the upcoming Isambard-AI system, powered by 5,500 Grace Hopper 200 processors. This investment in AI infrastructure and talent is crucial for the U.K. to remain competitive in the global AI race and to drive innovation in various sectors.
Nvidia's commitment to advancing AI technology and collaborating with governments and industries worldwide highlights the company's pivotal role in shaping the future of AI. As AI continues to evolve at an unprecedented rate, the implications for industries, economies, and society as a whole are profound. The advancements in AI hardware and software are not just about performance; they are about transforming how we live, work, and interact with technology.
Q: What did Jensen Huang say about AI advancements?
A: Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, stated that AI has advanced a million times in the last 10 years, highlighting the rapid pace of technological progress in AI hardware and software.
Q: What is Nvidia's Blackwell B200 processor?
A: Nvidia's Blackwell B200 processor delivers 20,000 times higher inference performance compared to the Pascal P100 processor from 2016, and it is 42,500 times more energy efficient in terms of joules per generated tokens.
Q: What is xAI's AI supercomputer plan?
A: xAI, a company led by Elon Musk, currently runs an AI supercomputer with 200,000 Hopper GPUs and plans to scale it to a million Blackwell GPUs, which will deliver record-breaking performance for AI.
Q: How much is the U.K. investing in AI infrastructure?
A: The U.K. has committed to spending approximately £1 billion on advanced computing resources dedicated to AI by the end of the decade, with initial funding already underway.
Q: What is the most powerful AI system in the U.K.?
A: The most powerful AI system in the U.K. is the upcoming Isambard-AI system, powered by 5,500 Grace Hopper 200 processors.