The head of US computer chip giant Nvidia has unveiled the company’s next generation of gaming chips, known as the RTX 50 series.

The announcement was part of Jensen Huang’s keynote address at CES, an annual technology trade show in Las Vegas.

The new family of chips will use Nvidia’s Blackwell artificial intelligence (AI) technology to produce movie-quality images, he told a packed audience.

The chips will cost between $549 (£438) and $1,999 and will be twice as fast as their predecessors, he added.

Mr. Huang conducted a real-time demonstration, showcasing highly detailed graphics with a range of textures and maneuvers.

“It was great that they could do this in real time,” said Gary Yang, a doctoral student in robotics at the California Institute of Technology.

“We used to think these graphics were pre-rendered.”

The new chips will be on their way to consumers at the end of January.

“I thought it was incredible,” said Scott Epstein of technology start-up Agenovate AI. “They continue to innovate.”

Mr. Yang and Mr. Epstein were among the thousands of people who watched the speech both in person and virtually on the eve of the official opening of CES.

Next week’s congress is expected to attract more than 150,000 visitors and over 4,500 exhibitors.

Nvidia shares hit a new record high on Monday ahead of Mr. Huang’s highly anticipated speech.

In the first part of his speech he talked about the history of the company.

Founded in 1993, Nvidia was originally known for producing computer chips that handle graphics, particularly for computer games.

Thirty-one years later, Nvidia is now at the forefront of developing chips that power AI, with a market value of more than $3 trillion.

However, Nvidia still faces some significant challenges, including from regulators around the world who have raised concerns about its growing dominance in the AI ​​chip market.

Last year, the company said it had been contacted by regulators in the United States, Britain, the European Union, South Korea and China.