Nvidia Unveils New Open-Source AI Models Amid Rising Global Competition
U.S. chipmaker Nvidia on Monday, December 15, announced a new lineup of open-source artificial intelligence models, which it says are faster, more cost-efficient, and more capable than its previous offerings, as competition intensifies from a growing wave of open-source models developed by Chinese AI laboratories.
Nvidia is best known for supplying the advanced chips used by companies such as OpenAI to train proprietary, closed-source AI systems. In parallel, however, the company also develops and releases its own AI models covering a wide range of applications, from physical simulations to autonomous driving, making them available as open-source software for researchers and enterprises. Technology firms including Palantir Technologies already integrate Nvidia’s models into their products.
As part of its latest announcement, Nvidia revealed the third generation of its large language models under the “Nemotron” brand, designed for writing, coding, and other advanced tasks. The company has launched the smallest model in the series, Nemotron-3 Nano, while two larger versions are scheduled for release in the first half of 2026.
Nvidia, currently the world’s most valuable company by market capitalization, said Nemotron-3 Nano is more efficient than its predecessor, translating into lower operating costs and stronger performance on long, multi-step tasks.
The launch comes as open-source AI models from Chinese technology players such as DeepSeek, Moonshot AI, and Alibaba gain widespread adoption across the global tech sector. Companies including Airbnb have disclosed that they are using Alibaba’s open-source Qwen model in their operations.
At the same time, CNBC reported that Meta Platforms is considering a shift toward closed-source AI models, a move that would leave Nvidia among the most prominent U.S.-based providers committed to open-source AI solutions.
Several U.S. states and government agencies have already banned the use of Chinese AI models over security concerns, further underscoring the strategic importance of Nvidia’s expanding open-source portfolio.