Nvidia unveils DLSS 5 and space AI chip at GTC 2026

10:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Nvidia unveils DLSS 5 and space AI chip at GTC 2026

Nvidia introduced two major technologies at its GTC 2026 conference in San Jose, announcing a new generation of AI driven gaming graphics and a computing platform designed for use in space.

Chief executive Jensen Huang presented DLSS 5 as a breakthrough in real time rendering, calling it a transformative step comparable to the impact of generative AI on language models. The technology uses neural rendering to reconstruct lighting, materials and environmental effects at up to 4K resolution from a single frame.

Unlike earlier versions that focused on upscaling and frame generation, DLSS 5 analyzes scene elements such as characters, hair, fabrics and lighting to produce more realistic visuals while preserving the developer’s artistic control. Game studios including Bethesda, Capcom, Ubisoft, Tencent and Warner Bros. Games have committed to supporting the technology.

DLSS 5 is expected to launch in autumn 2026. Demonstrations at the event required two GeForce RTX 5090 graphics cards running in parallel, highlighting the significant computing demands of the system.

Nvidia also revealed the Vera Rubin Space 1 module, a computing platform built to operate in orbit. The system delivers up to 25 times the AI performance of the company’s H100 GPU and is designed for real time data processing, autonomous operations and in orbit analysis.

The company is working with partners including Axiom Space, Planet Labs, Aetherflux and Starcloud, which plans to launch a satellite carrying the module in November. Industry participants see orbital data centers as a potential future solution for energy intensive AI workloads, leveraging continuous solar power in space.

Huang said technical challenges remain, particularly around cooling systems in space where traditional heat transfer methods are not available. Companies including SpaceX and other firms are actively exploring orbital infrastructure to support next generation computing needs.