Nvidia multiplies software tools to create virtual worlds

The logo of Nvidia Corporation is seen at the annual Computex IT Expo in Taipei, Taiwan on May 30, 2017. REUTERS / Tyrone Siu

Nov. 9 (Reuters) – Nvidia Corp (NVDA.O) on Tuesday released a set of tools for software developers to help them create a “metaverse” of three-dimensional virtual worlds – and use a lot more power calculating chips from Nvidia in the process.

At the company’s annual technology conference in Santa Clara, Calif., Nvidia launched Omniverse Enterprise, which will start at $ 9,000 per year and will be sold by partners such as Dell Technologies (DELL.N) and Lenovo Group Ltd. (0992.HK), who build powerful computer systems with Nvidia chips for corporate clients.

Omniverse tools help various applications used to create three-dimensional worlds, such as software from Adobe Inc (ADBE.O), work better together while running on chips made by Nvidia.

In an interview with Reuters, Richard Kerris, vice president of the Omniverse Platform at Nvidia, called it “the plumbing of virtual worlds. That’s what we’ve built. And that’s what we’re building with. all these partners “.

But right now, most of those worlds are far from materializing, and the tools are mostly used by businesses.

Kerris told Reuters that Nvidia worked with more than 700 companies to test and develop the software, including companies like telecommunications equipment maker Ericsson (ERICb.ST), which used the software to create a “twin digital “of a city he used to test. cell phone signal coverage before deploying physical trucks to install real world antennas.

Earlier this month, Wells Fargo analyst Aaron Rakers wrote that software and other tools for building virtual worlds could represent a $ 10 billion market opportunity for Nvidia over the next five years, especially since companies like Meta Platforms Inc (FB.O), the former company known as Facebook, are making people spend more time in what it calls the metaverse.

Nvidia’s market value has jumped $ 191 billion since Facebook’s capital spending announcement on October 25, a two-week gain almost as large as rival Intel’s total market cap of 209. billions of dollars.

Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Editing by Dan Grebler

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.