Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang calls robots 'AI immigrants', says robots will create jobs

Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang has described robots as AI immigrants, arguing that automation could help address a severe global labour shortage that is constraining manufacturing, according to a report by AFP.

Speaking during an interaction with journalists and analysts on the sidelines of the CES technology show, Huang took a stance that challenged widespread fears about machines replacing human workers. He said that the adoption of robots would create jobs rather than eliminate them.

Huang stated that more AI immigrants are needed to support manufacturing floors and take on work that humans have increasingly chosen not to do, adding that his unscripted remarks have become a regular feature of CES. The annual technology gathering runs through Friday and is expected to draw around 130,000 attendees.

Robots once again feature prominently at CES this year, with companies showcasing devices they hope will move beyond novelty status and gain wider acceptance as practical tools across industries.

Huang argued that a robotics revolution could offset labour losses caused by ageing populations and demographic decline, while also contributing to economic growth. He said that as economies expand, demand for human workers also increases.

The Nvidia chief, who leads the world’s most valuable company with an estimated valuation of about $3.5 trillion, informed that the global worker shortage runs into tens of millions rather than thousands, driven largely by long-term demographic shifts.

His comments are aligned with views expressed by other Silicon Valley leaders, including Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk, who have repeatedly pointed to population decline and an ageing workforce as reasons to accelerate automation.

Nvidia, which dominates the AI chip market, is investing heavily in developing foundational software to enable robots to operate across sectors such as manufacturing, retail and healthcare.