Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has been making headlines with his recent comments on the state of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and China's role in its advancement. Huang has declared AI to be a "fundamental infrastructure" akin to electricity, emphasizing its transformative potential across various sectors. He also lauded the progress of Chinese AI models, recognizing them as a "catalyst for global progress".
Huang's comparison of AI to electricity underscores his belief that AI is no longer just a technological advancement but a foundational resource that will power future innovation and economic growth. Just as electricity revolutionized industries and daily life, AI is poised to do the same, becoming an essential component of everything. Huang envisions a future where AI is seamlessly integrated into all aspects of life, driving efficiency, productivity, and new possibilities.
During a recent visit to Beijing, Huang praised China's rapid advancements in AI, describing the Chinese market as "large" and "dynamic". He highlighted the country's thriving AI ecosystem, characterized by a strong base of startups and major cloud service providers. He also emphasized China's strength in science and mathematics education as a key factor in its AI success. Huang noted that AI is being applied to a wide range of applications in China, from consumer applications and internet shopping to self-driving cars.
Huang specifically called out Chinese AI models like DeepSeek as "world-class," stating that China's open-source AI is a "catalyst for global progress". He also pointed out that China is home to a significant portion of the world's AI researchers. Huang's praise for Chinese AI talent extends to researchers working in leading AI organizations worldwide. He dismissed the notion of limiting access to American AI technology, advocating for open competition and collaboration to spur innovation. He stressed that the US should be competing in the Chinese market, given that a significant percentage of the world's developers are based there.
Huang's vision extends to "AI factories" that operate around the clock, generating AI outputs to meet the growing demands of businesses and consumers. These AI factories will produce language processing, image creation, and complex data analysis, marking a significant shift in how we perceive computing and AI resources. This concept highlights the potential for AI to become a ubiquitous and readily available resource, similar to electricity.
Nvidia is playing a crucial role in this AI revolution by developing what Huang calls the "AI brain," the fundamental technology powering AI. The company is also embedding AI across its own operations, optimizing chip design and supply chain management. Huang encourages other enterprise leaders to integrate AI into their platforms and databases to capture institutional knowledge and improve critical processes.
Huang's remarks come at a time when Nvidia is seeking to expand its presence in the Chinese market. The company has been working to ensure compliance with U.S. regulations while continuing to serve its Chinese customers. Nvidia is filing applications to resume sales of its H20 GPU in China and has announced a new, fully compliant RTX PRO GPU suitable for digital twin AI applications.
