Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang unveiled Project Digits, a powerful desktop AI computer, at CES 2025. This compact device, roughly the size of a Mac mini, boasts 1 PFLOPS of FP4 floating-point performance and aims to democratize AI development. Priced at $3,000, it promises to bring AI supercomputing power to individuals, empowering a new wave of innovation.
Project Digits: Powering the Next Generation of AI
Inspired by Nvidia’s DGX 100 server design, Project Digits houses a 20-core GB10 Grace Blackwell Superchip, 128GB of LPDDR5X memory, and a 4TB NVMe SSD. This combination delivers substantial processing power, enabling users to run complex AI models locally. Huang emphasized the transformative potential of AI, stating, “AI will be mainstream in every application for every industry.” He positioned Project Digits as a key tool in this transformation, making AI accessible to a wider range of developers.
exploded image of the Project Digits components
Grace Blackwell Superchip: A Collaboration with Arm
The GB10 Superchip, a product of extensive collaboration between Nvidia and Arm, is at the heart of Project Digits. Ashish Karandikar, Nvidia’s VP of SoC Products, highlighted the significance of this partnership, stating it will “fuel the next generation of innovation in AI.” This collaboration underscores the commitment to pushing the boundaries of AI hardware development.
Running Large Language Models Locally
With its impressive processing capabilities, Project Digits can run a 200-billion-iteration large language model (LLM) locally. This is significantly larger than models like GPT-4o used in ChatGPT, which has only 12 billion iterations. Multiple Digits devices can be connected to handle even larger models, up to 405 billion iterations, offering scalability for demanding AI projects.
Empowering AI Development at the Edge
Nvidia aims to empower users who require the full potential of LLMs running locally. Project Digits comes pre-loaded with Nvidia’s AI Enterprise software stack, providing developers with the necessary tools for prototyping, fine-tuning, and testing AI models before deploying them to the cloud. This streamlined workflow simplifies AI development and reduces reliance on cloud resources.
Democratizing AI Development
Historically, AI development has been concentrated in the hands of well-funded companies and institutions. Project Digits aims to disrupt this dynamic, mirroring the personal computer revolution of the 1970s-1990s, where individual innovators drove technological advancement. While the $3,000 price point may present an initial barrier, it offers substantial value for serious AI enthusiasts and researchers.
Availability and Sign-Up
Project Digits is scheduled for release in May. Those interested in exploring its capabilities can sign up for notifications on Nvidia’s website. This innovative device has the potential to reshape the AI landscape by putting powerful AI capabilities directly into the hands of individual developers.
Conclusion
Project Digits represents a significant step toward democratizing AI. By providing individuals with access to powerful local processing capabilities, Nvidia is empowering a new generation of AI innovators. This move has the potential to spark widespread adoption and accelerate the development of cutting-edge AI applications. The future of AI development is moving to the desktop.
