Nvidia just released its new open-source AI model, Nemotron 3.5 Lightning. This move comes shortly after CEO Jensen Huang publicly backed open-source software as a way to spur innovation and maintain American competitiveness in the tech sector.
Nemotron 3.5 Lightning is designed to be lightweight. The company says it can run on a single graphics processing unit in a standard laptop or desktop. This makes the technology more accessible for developers who want to build and test programs without needing massive cloud infrastructure.
The model is free to download, modify, and use. Nvidia expects this approach to drive further demand for its hardware, as companies often need robust GPU power to execute these models efficiently. It puts the company in direct alignment with other industry leaders who are pushing for open-source frameworks to stay ahead of international rivals.
Beyond the model itself, the company released software called NeMo Switchyard. This tool helps users determine the most cost-effective and appropriate AI model for specific tasks. Early testing includes organizations like CrowdStrike and Harvey, which are already customizing the model for autonomous agent programs.