TL;DR: Nvidia has entered a significant multi-year partnership with Thinking Machines, supporting the AI start-up led by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati. The collaboration focuses on using Nvidia’s platforms for AI model training, showcasing Nvidia’s ongoing commitment to propelling the AI sector forward.
Nvidia’s recent investment in Thinking Machines marks a noteworthy chapter in the ongoing race for dominance in artificial intelligence. Announced on 10 March, this multi-year partnership aims to leverage Nvidia’s robust systems, specifically the Vera Rubin platform, for training advanced AI models. The deployment is expected to commence early next year.
Founded in early 2025 by Mira Murati, who left her position as OpenAI’s chief technology officer, Thinking Machines has made a remarkable impact in just a few months. By July of the same year, the start-up had achieved a staggering valuation of $12 billion after a successful $2 billion seed round, all before launching its first product. This rapid growth is a telling sign of the demand for cutting-edge AI solutions.
The flagship offering from Thinking Machines, known as ‘Tinker’, serves as a training API designed to fine-tune open-source models. It caters to the needs of researchers and developers, facilitating the use of diverse AI frameworks such as Llama-3.2B, Qwen3.5, and DeepSeek-V3.1. Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s CEO, praised the initiative, stating, “Thinking Machines has brought together a world-class team to advance the frontier of AI,” highlighting the calibre of talent involved in this venture.
As Nvidia dives deeper into this partnership, it’s essential to consider the financial implications. Huang previously mentioned that building 1GW of AI data centre capacity could cost up to $50 billion, suggesting that Nvidia’s investment into Thinking Machines could reach several billion dollars. Murati, in turn, articulated the significance of this collaboration, noting, “Nvidia’s technology is the foundation on which the entire field is built.”
However, amid all the accolades, one has to wonder: is this frenzy for AI just a flash in the pan? With the tech giant also investing heavily in other AI projects—like the recent $1 billion seed round for Advanced Machine Intelligence and a massive $30 billion into OpenAI—the question looms large as to whether these investments will yield the expected returns or if the bubble will eventually burst.
It’s amusing, really. As big names like Nvidia continue to pour billions into AI, one can’t help but think they might be chasing their own tails—or rather, their own algorithms. The race to innovate has everyone on edge, and while some claim the AI revolution is just beginning, others are raising eyebrows at the sheer spending. Perhaps this grand pursuit is merely a high-stakes game of technological poker, where the stakes keep rising.
For a little perspective, here’s a related fact: Did you know that the global AI market is projected to reach $390.9 billion by 2025? The actions of tech giants like Nvidia and start-ups such as Thinking Machines are certainly indicative of the immense potential the industry holds, though only time will reveal whether this wave of investment is prescient or precursory to an industry correction.
Source: Suhasini Srinivasaragavan, Silicon Republic
