Former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Says China Exclusion Was a Mistake

Former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said Nvidia’s exclusion from China was a mistake, arguing that dialogue with the country is needed for global AI safety amid U.S.-China competition in artificial intelligence.

The interview was recorded in October, about a month before Huang stepped down as Nvidia’s CEO. He described China as a competitor to the United States rather than an enemy and said it had more AI researchers than any other country. Huang argued that concern for global AI safety calls for dialogue with China.

Asked what might change his view on selling chips to China, Huang did not answer directly. He responded by saying that China’s drive to raise prosperity for its people and country merited respect.

Huang pushed back on the idea that the world’s leading AI companies depend on Nvidia’s hardware and software. He characterized their use of Nvidia technology as a choice and said Nvidia has to win their business through its performance. He added that competitors operate across industries and countries.

Nvidia had invested nearly $100 billion in the AI ecosystem over the prior five years, Huang said. Nvidia often joined financing rounds early without leading them or holding the largest stake, he said. Its ownership in each company stayed below 20%, and those investments drew at least five times as much money from other institutional investors.

Huang said many AI startups need substantial computing resources: few can get started with $10 million, while companies needing $10 billion are not unusual.

Huang said he wants Nvidia’s next CEO to come from inside the company. His children, Spencer Huang and Madison Huang, both work there, but neither would receive the job automatically. Each would have to earn the position.

Huang framed 20 years as a possible horizon only if he remained healthy and continued to prove his value. He also credited Nvidia’s growth partly to a management approach with fewer barriers between business units, arguing that rigid structures make it harder for a company to adapt.