Caterpillar and NVIDIA Partner to Launch the Age of Physical AI

Caterpillar Inc. and NVIDIA announced a sweeping expansion of their partnership at CES 2026, aiming to redefine heavy industry through Physical AI. This collaboration integrates advanced computing and robotics into construction and mining equipment to enable real-time perception and autonomous decision-making. The goal is to transform machines into intelligent robots capable of navigating complex and variable environments. At the heart of this shift is the adoption of the NVIDIA Jetson Thor platform as the primary onboard compute engine for Cat machinery. This Blackwell-based architecture provides the massive processing power required for generative AI and local transformer models. By moving intelligence to the edge, these machines can process billions of data points in milliseconds without relying on external cloud connectivity.

The debut of the Cat AI Assistant marks a significant milestone in operator interaction and site safety. Built on NVIDIA Riva speech models, the assistant allows operators to use natural voice commands for troubleshooting, settings adjustments, and establishing safety boundaries. This conversational interface uses Caterpillar’s Helios data platform to provide context-aware recommendations for maintenance and productivity.

Beyond the job site, Caterpillar is leveraging NVIDIA Omniverse and OpenUSD to create physically accurate digital twins of its manufacturing facilities. These simulations allow engineers to optimize production layouts and predict supply chain bottlenecks before physical implementation. This AI Factory approach ensures that the production systems are as intelligent and resilient as the machines they create.

This strategic alignment shifts the industry focus from simple GPS-guided automation to true autonomy at scale. Machines are no longer just tools but are becoming a digital nervous system for the entire job site. By integrating computer vision and edge computing, Caterpillar is setting a new standard for how the world builds and moves materials.