NVIDIA CUDA platform now officially supports RISC-V

NVIDIA plans to implement support for the RISC-V architecture in its graphics processors. This should significantly expand the list of compatible chips. At the same time, it seems that the main focus will be on artificial intelligence.

At the 2025 RISC-V Summit NVIDIA’s Vice President of Hardware Engineering Frans Sijsterman spoke in China and said that in the future, the company’s GPUs will cooperate with processors based on open RISC-V architecture.

The diagram he presented showed a typical configuration of the new system: The GPU performs parallel computing, while the RISC-V processor powers the drivers, applications, and operating system. In other words, the CPU controls, and the GPU runs. Most likely, this approach is focused on AI-related workloads, although there is no official confirmation yet.

The diagram also shows a new type of computer — DPU, which is supposed to handle all network connections. It is not yet known how it will be implemented at the physical or software level, but it is noted that it should significantly reduce the load on the CPU when transferring large amounts of data.

The reason for adapting NVIDIA CUDA to RISC-V is quite simple and can be described only as follows in a word: «sanctions». As a result, the range of NVIDIA GPU accelerators in China is significantly limited, and RISC-V is being actively promoted in the domestic market. Thus, NVIDIA plans to compensate for the loss of supply by offering deeper compatibility.

Whether this concept will be applied freely remains to be seen. Nevertheless, the precedent set is encouraging that the new approach could become a viable alternative for HPC data centers and AI-oriented systems.

NVIDIA, on the one hand, is striving to provide support for RISC-V in open-source systems. On the other hand — to strengthen Jetson’s own directionfocused on compact and energy-efficient computers for embedded automation systems. The bonus of all this is the wide availability of the technology.

Source: Tom’s Hardware