Caterpillar partners with Nvidia to integrate AI technology into its construction machinery

Caterpillar Expands AI and Automation in Construction Equipment with Nvidia Partnership

Caterpillar is enhancing its construction machinery by integrating advanced AI and automation technologies, thanks to a new collaboration with Nvidia, a leader in the semiconductor industry.

The company is currently testing an AI-powered assistant, named “Cat AI,” in its Cat 306 CR Mini Excavator. This innovative system leverages Nvidia’s Jetson Thor platform for physical AI, and is being showcased at CES.

Brandon Hootman, Caterpillar’s vice president of data and AI, shared with TechCrunch that Cat AI operates through a network of AI agents. The system is designed to respond to operators’ questions, provide access to helpful resources, deliver safety guidance, and manage service scheduling.

A major advantage of integrating this technology is the valuable data it gathers and transmits, which can be used to improve operations and inform future developments.

“Our customers spend their days on job sites, not behind computer screens,” Hootman explained. “Having immediate access to insights and the ability to act on them while working is crucial for them.”

Caterpillar is also experimenting with digital replicas of construction sites, utilizing Nvidia’s Omniverse simulation tools. These digital twins help the company test different scheduling options and more accurately estimate material requirements. According to Hootman, Caterpillar’s equipment sends approximately 2,000 data messages per second, fueling these simulations.

In addition to these pilots, Caterpillar already operates fully autonomous vehicles in the mining industry. Hootman sees these new initiatives as a logical progression toward greater automation across Caterpillar’s product range.

Why Start Here?

Hootman noted that the decision to begin with these projects was driven by pressing customer needs and the company’s readiness to deliver solutions quickly. He also emphasized that this approach establishes a solid technological base for future innovation.

Nvidia’s Vision for Physical AI

Collaborating with established companies like Caterpillar aligns with Nvidia’s broader strategy to advance physical AI. Bill Dally, Nvidia’s chief scientist, stated in 2025 that physical AI represents the next major opportunity for the company and its high-performance GPUs.

During its CES keynote, Nvidia outlined its comprehensive ecosystem for physical AI, which features open-source AI models such as the Cosmos model family, simulation platforms, and developer resources. More details can be found .

Deepu Talla, Nvidia’s vice president of robotics and edge AI, explained that the company views physical AI as a broad field, encompassing not just robotics firms but any organization building intelligent machines today.

“Physical AI is the next evolution of artificial intelligence,” Talla said. “Nvidia is leading this movement by providing the computing power to train, simulate, and deploy AI models in robots—whether that’s an autonomous vehicle or a Caterpillar machine.”

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