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Nvidia-Backed SandboxAQ Generates Synthetic Data to Accelerate Drug Discovery

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Artificial intelligence startup SandboxAQ, spun out of Alphabet’s Google and backed by Nvidia, unveiled a large synthetic dataset designed to speed up drug discovery by improving predictions of how drugs bind to proteins. This crucial step helps scientists determine whether a drug candidate will effectively target biological processes involved in diseases.

Although the dataset is rooted in real-world experimental science, SandboxAQ created it computationally using Nvidia’s powerful chips rather than through lab experiments. By combining traditional scientific computing with advanced AI, the startup generated approximately 5.2 million new three-dimensional molecular structures that have not been observed naturally but are scientifically plausible based on existing data.

This synthetic data is being released publicly to train AI models capable of rapidly and accurately predicting drug-protein interactions, a process that would otherwise take far longer to compute manually—even on the fastest computers. SandboxAQ plans to monetize its own AI models developed using this data, offering a faster, cost-effective alternative to lab experiments.

Nadia Harhen, SandboxAQ’s general manager of AI simulation, explained the breakthrough: “This is a long-standing problem in biology that the industry has been trying to solve. Our synthetic data is tagged with ground-truth experimental results, enabling models trained on this data to achieve unprecedented accuracy.”

The approach represents a promising intersection of scientific computation and AI, potentially accelerating the development of new medicines and improving outcomes in pharmaceutical research.

Nvidia and Perplexity Collaborate with European AI Firms to Enhance Local Language Models

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Nvidia and AI search company Perplexity announced a partnership on Wednesday with over a dozen AI firms across Europe and the Middle East to advance AI technologies tailored to local languages and distribute them to regional businesses.

The collaboration targets countries including France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and Sweden, aiming to develop reasoning AI models capable of handling complex tasks in languages that traditionally have less training data available. Nvidia plans to assist by generating synthetic data in these languages to improve model performance.

Kari Briski, Nvidia’s Vice President of Generative AI Software for Enterprise, emphasized the importance of strong AI models that capture the unique languages and cultures of each nation. Once refined, Perplexity will facilitate deployment of these models through local data centers, enabling businesses to leverage AI for tasks like research and data analysis.

Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas highlighted Germany as one of the company’s largest markets, underscoring the regional demand for localized AI solutions. The partnership announcement was part of a series of updates from Nvidia at an AI conference in Paris, though financial details were not disclosed.

This initiative reflects a growing focus on decentralizing AI development, shifting from dominant English and Chinese models to diverse, localized systems that better serve different linguistic communities.

Nvidia Unveils New Robotics, Gaming Chips, and Toyota Deal at CES 2025

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At CES 2025, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang revealed several groundbreaking products, showcasing the company’s ambitions to expand its business across robotics, gaming, and automotive technology. The announcements highlighted innovations in AI, gaming chips, and collaborations, including a new deal with Toyota.

One of the key highlights was the introduction of Nvidia’s Cosmos foundation models, which use artificial intelligence to generate photo-realistic video for robot and self-driving car training. By creating “synthetic” training data, these models simulate physical environments much more affordably than traditional data collection methods. Unlike the typical approach of placing cars on the road or having humans demonstrate tasks, Cosmos can generate videos based on a text description, adhering to the laws of physics. The models will be made available on an “open license,” much like Meta Platforms’ Llama 3 language models, which have seen widespread use in the tech industry. Huang expressed hopes that Cosmos could revolutionize robotics and industrial AI similarly to the impact Llama 3 has had on enterprise AI.

Despite the excitement, analysts, including Vivek Arya from Bank of America, raised concerns about whether the new robotics technology would substantially boost Nvidia’s sales. Arya questioned the challenge of making the products both reliable and affordable enough to create viable business models, similar to the niche opportunities of autonomous vehicles or the metaverse.

In addition to robotics, Nvidia unveiled new gaming chips, part of the RTX 50 series, that use Nvidia’s Blackwell AI technology. These chips aim to enhance gaming graphics, particularly through ‘shaders’ that add realistic imperfections to objects in video games, such as fingerprint smudges on surfaces. The new chips are also designed to improve the realism of human faces, which is a critical area of focus for developers. Prices for the chips range from $549 to $1,999, with the high-end models set to launch on January 30, followed by lower-tier models in February. Analysts, including Ben Bajarin of Creative Strategies, expect these chips to drive short-term sales growth for Nvidia.

Nvidia also debuted its first desktop computer, Project DIGITS, which is designed for software developers rather than regular consumers. Priced at $3,000, the computer runs on Nvidia’s Linux-based operating system and includes the same AI chip used in the company’s data center products. The desktop, which features a central processor co-designed with Taiwan’s MediaTek, is expected to help individual developers quickly test their AI systems. Project DIGITS will be available in March.

Additionally, Huang announced that Toyota Motor will integrate Nvidia’s Orin chips and automotive operating system into several of its models to power advanced driver assistance features. Although the company did not specify which models would feature the technology, the partnership signifies a growing presence in the automotive sector. Nvidia projects automotive hardware and software revenue will reach $5 billion by fiscal 2026, up from an expected $4 billion in the current year.

Nvidia’s stock surged to a record high of $149.43, increasing its market valuation to $3.66 trillion, making it the second-most valuable listed company in the world, behind Apple.