The AI Factory operates using Hitachi iQ systems with NVIDIA HGX B200 GPUs; Hitachi iQ M Series systems with NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Server Edition GPUs; and the NVIDIA Spectrum-X Ethernet networking platform. This strategic initiative supports Hitachi's ambition to create and deploy AI that interacts with the real world. The AI Factory will also enable Hitachi to further expand HMAX, the company's family of AI-enabled solutions that solves a wide range of complex problems in the mobility, energy, industrial, and technology sectors.
The centralized AI Factory provides Hitachi's global teams with a unified AI computing infrastructure to run AI applications and workflows built on NVIDIA's full-stack AI platform, including NVIDIA AI Enterprise for production-grade AI, as well as the NVIDIA Omniverse libraries for simulation, industrial scale, and physically accurate digital twins. This infrastructure enables the rapid development and deployment of advanced physical AI models. These models will acquire and interpret information from physical environments through cameras and sensors; determine the next steps to take; and execute actions based on that data.
The announcement follows recent comments by Hitachi, Ltd. President and CEO Toshiaki Tokunaga regarding the partnership between Hitachi and NVIDIA. He stated that by leveraging Hitachi iQ built on NVIDIA RTX PRO servers, Hitachi will further accelerate AI innovation. Mr. Tokunaga specified that the ability of NVIDIA RTX PRO servers to accelerate AI reasoning and physics AI will enhance the development of digital twins and the optimization of physical assets (including social infrastructure), while opening up new possibilities such as improved productivity across all business activities.
The Hitachi AI Factory is strategically distributed across the US, EMEA, and Japan, ensuring that Hitachi engineers can collaborate seamlessly and access powerful, low-latency computing resources, regardless of their location. This interconnected network will support the development of a wide range of physical AI applications, driving new levels of efficiency, productivity, and safety across all sectors.
The initiative reinforces Hitachi's commitment to using cutting-edge technology to drive social and business innovation.
“The strategic collaboration between Hitachi and NVIDIA is becoming a key driver for solving complex real-world problems and accelerating social innovation,” said Jun Abe, general manager of the Digital Systems and Services division. “Our joint work leverages NVIDIA’s AI infrastructure to achieve both DX (digital transformation) and GX (green transformation) with solutions like Hitachi Rail’s HMAX, which is currently transforming rail operations and maintenance; Hitachi Vantara’s AI solutions portfolio, Hitachi iQ; and Hitachi’s liquid-cooled AI data centers, which support our generative AI foundation. With the establishment of a global NVIDIA AI Factory, we can now operate as a true ‘One Hitachi’ across all regions and organizations. This synergy will accelerate physical innovations in AI, as demonstrated by HMAX.”.
Implementing Hitachi's Corporate Vision:
Hitachi considers the AI factory a fundamental step toward achieving its Lumada 3.0 vision. Lumada is Hitachi's operating model that helps companies solve business and societal challenges through co-created digital transformation. It leverages Hitachi's extensive knowledge and technical expertise, combined with AI technologies, to turn data into value while simultaneously reducing operating costs and inefficiencies.
Hitachi is unique in its ability to integrate expertise in IT, OT, and hardware, as demonstrated by the engineering design capabilities, products, and consulting services that comprise Lumada 3.0. The company leads the industrial AI market with disruptive solutions that redefine what is possible.
“AI factories are the engines of a new industrial revolution, transforming enterprise data into autonomous intelligence for both software and the physical world,” said Justin Boitano, vice president of enterprise AI products at NVIDIA. “With NVIDIA’s accelerated computing and software, Hitachi’s AI factory infrastructure provides a transformative platform for building and deploying enterprise and physical AI.”.
