Release2026-08-10

Nvidia released Nemotron 3.5 Lightning, a small AI model that companies can download, use and change for free without paying Nvidia or asking permission. The company says it runs on a single graphics card in a laptop or desktop and was built for software that works on its own in the background. Nvidia also released NeMo Switchyard, which picks the cheapest suitable model for a given task.

What changed

Nvidia's earlier Nemotron models were larger, and it had released no openly licensed model since Huang publicly backed the approach in late July.

What it unlocks

Running a capable Nvidia model locally on one graphics card, and modifying it freely without a licence fee or permission.

  • runs on a single GPU on a laptop or desktop

What you need to act on it

  • a machine with a suitable GPU
  • technical setup to download and run the model

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