Transcription
[music] Jensen Huang was born in Taiwan, grew up partly in Thailand, and moved to the US when he was nine. He's a poster boy of a successful American immigration story. He is the co-founder and CEO of Nvidia, the world's most valuable company, worth more than 5 trillion US and counting. He identifies pretty much as an American. He speaks Taiwanese Hokkien and Mandarin, wears a now famous black leather jacket like a uniform, and draws rockstar crowds everywhere from Silicon Valley to Taipei night markets. To the US, he's the face of the AI boom. To Taiwan, he's a legend and a hero. But behind the mythology is a man who says Nvidia nearly died several times before changing the world. I'm Genevieve Vu, and our senior correspondent Victoria Jen scored a rare, long, and wide-ranging interview with Mr. Huang. Let's start with, you know, your opinion about this larger-than-life personality. You know, was there a moment off-camera, a comment, or an observation that impressed you or stayed with you?
>> Well, to the media, Jensen is almost like a Santa Claus in a black leather jacket. He has that signature look, but more importantly, he answers everything, and he's incredibly media-savvy. You actually see many reporters staking out his, um, hotel just to catch a glimpse of him. And when they do, he doesn't just wave and walk off. He chats, he engages, sometimes even hands out small snacks. He's also often seen at night markets here in Taiwan, just casually talking to vendors, taking photos, signing autographs. That's why people here call it, uh, the Renong phenomenon or Jensen Mania. Wherever he goes, there is this buzz and this excitement. Everyone wants to see him.
>> Well, he's like a, sounds like he's a very grounded kind of superhero, isn't he?
>> Oh, yeah. For sure.
>> Yeah. Well, of course, we have a million questions for a superhero like Jensen. And I'm thinking one of the biggest insights we want to hear from him is, um, what he thinks about AI and job cuts, job losses, and that's creating a lot of, uh, anxiety and insecurities, uh, for workers globally. Uh, how did he address that? He was actually quite direct on this. He pushed back strongly against the idea that AI is already causing job losses. He said that the narrative is lazy. I quote, "Because AI has only just become useful recently, so it doesn't make sense to blame layoffs on AI." He thinks companies are using AI as an easy excuse, but at the same time, he didn't dismiss people's fears. His advice was very clear: Learn AI. Let's listen to what he has to say.
And I think the, the narrative that connects AI to job loss for many of the CEOs that are doing it, um, it is just too lazy. It's just too lazy. AI has just arrived. How is it possible they're already losing jobs? You know, how is it possible that AI became productive and useful only six months ago?
>> And they were, they were canceling, they were somehow laying people off two years ago because of AI. It doesn't make any sense. It was just, it was just a way for them to sound smart, and I really hate that. Um, I would, I think we're scaring people, and that's irresponsible. I think we should tell a balanced story, a balanced narrative about the potential of this, uh, of this technology, the importance of advancing it safely, securely, guardrailed with necessary social, political, government, government, industrial policies to ensure that it advances safely.
>> What do you say to people who are afraid of losing their jobs to AI?
>> I would say to the people who are worried about losing their jobs to AI, to learn AI. You're not going to lose your jobs to AI. You're going to lose your job to somebody who learned AI better than you. My point is, it's more likely that AI will elevate your job, elevate the purpose of your job if you became expert at it. Try to engage it. Don't be afraid of it. Of course, the industry has to be really thoughtful about building AI in a safe way and a guardrailed way and make sure that it's deployed in a proper way, and that, and that the end applications, whether it's in healthcare or transportation or manufacturing or, you know, air travel or whatever it is that applies AI, those industries have lots of regulations already, and they should re-evaluate the regulations to be AI-ready, to be AI-prepared. And so, um, everybody has to be part of this.
>> You had an interesting question for Jensen. You asked him if AI is making or will make humans lazy in their thinking. Did he have a good response?
>> Yes, he did. What stood out to me is that he put AI into a much bigger historical context. He said that every major technology, from the personal computer to the internet, raised the same concern. People thought we'd become lazier, but instead, we became more ambitious. He made a very simple point: We are actually busier than ever. Because when technology makes things easier, we don't stop working. We just aim higher. Here's what he says.
>> Well, I think you could use history as a guide. Um, when the personal computer came along, I think that everybody said, uh, is that going to make people lazier as a result, because so much of work is going to be, so many tasks will be automated? And then when the internet came along, are, are people going to stop being smart because all the information is at their fingertips? And, and then before you know it, mobile cloud came along. So it's actually in our pocket, so we don't have to remember anything anymore. And, um, uh, we have so many automation capabilities. The, the performance of a computer increased by a million times during, during this time. Do we find ourselves busier or less busy? And I think the answer is, we found ourselves busier. And the reason for that is because we became more ambitious. The type of things that we could do is greater than ever. Our students today that are graduating, they're a hundred times smarter than when I graduated. The, what they know, what they can do, their exposure to the world, the knowledge they have, the wisdom that they've somehow imbued. Um, all of that, all of that capability was made possible because of information technology, but it hasn't made them, you know, any less busy. I think you and I would admit that we're busier than ever.
>> Okay. Now, let me talk about AI, right? Um, China is definitely part of the picture as well. Uh, so that came up in your conversation naturally. What did Jensen share about China and the AI story on China?
>> He was very candid. He said US export controls created a gap that allowed Chinese companies like Huawei to grow very quickly. So, in a way, restrictions may have accelerated China's self-reliance. He also made a broader point that China will be a major competitor for everyone, simply because of its huge domestic market. But he doesn't see it as a zero-sum game. He still believes Nvidia can add value in China, even as the country develops its own technology. Let's listen.
But reports suggest that China hasn't purchased any of Nvidia's H200 chips, um, despite US export approval.
>> We're not stepping back from China. Uh, I, I would say, I would say that the Chinese government, uh, when we were banned from going to China, uh, through export controls, uh, it left a vacuum that the Chinese companies were able to fill, and, uh, as a result, Huawei and many of the startup companies in, in China had record years. Uh, they are now growing at an incredible pace, and, and in our absence, even though Nvidia's technology is better, uh, it is in our absence, um, available technology is the best you can get, and it's plenty good. The Chinese government is, is, uh, understandably, um, as every government would and should, uh, encourage and want to have conditions for their local companies to be successful. However, uh, I also believe that Nvidia could add an enormous amount of value to the Chinese market.
>> As it pushes for its own chips. Could that actually, um, eventually make China your greatest, uh, rival?
>> Well, China is going to be everybody's greatest rival. I mean, that, that goes without saying, because they have so, they have such, um, such an extraordinary, uh, local market that is completely uniform, just like the United States. For China's technology, uh, competes with one layer of the five, of the five-layer cake. We compete with one layer of the five-layer cake. But don't forget, AI is a five-layer cake. And so, when, when Nvidia is participating in China and serving the Chinese market as we have in the past, it supports the expansion of the other five layers. And so, when you look at, look at the market in a more holistic way, and, and I, and I surely believe that the, the leaders, uh, will, and the local markets will, when you look at it in the holistic way, Nvidia could be of great service to that industry, and we could add a lot of value, uh, to the China market as well.
>> [Sighs and snorts]
>> You also talked about Taiwan, and of course, Taiwan is, uh, possibly very close to his heart, since, you know, he, uh, was born in, in Taiwan, and of course, Taiwan claims him as their own, you know, local superhero, their own homegrown boy, right? Uh, what did he talk about the relevance of Taiwan in the global supply chain of AI?
>> Yes, he was actually very bullish on Taiwan. He said Nvidia is investing hundreds of billions of dollars here, and that Taiwan is right at the center of the AI supply chain. But he also pointed out that the challenges like energy constraints and land limitations. Now, these are real pressures. Still, his message was clear: No region is better prepared than Taiwan to drive the next phase of AI growth. Here's what he says.
Of course, Nvidia spends at this point, you know, hundreds of billions of dollars in AI infrastructure, and most of our spend is in Taiwan. And so, we've, we've invested through the most, the best form of investment, which is business, uh, hundreds of billions of dollars into Taiwan.
>> What kind of role do you think Taiwan plays?
>> AI is at the center of Taiwan, and this, this, uh, the companies on this island are, are incredible, as you know. The companies are at the epicenter of the, uh, the, uh, possibility of AI and the growth of AI, the advancement of AI. On the one hand, on the other hand, it's growing incredibly here in Taiwan. The energy pressure is high, the land pressure is high. And, uh, of course, uh, Taiwan is extraordinary at manufacturing. And, uh, uh, and I hope we talk about robotics and how robotics is going to revolutionize and transform Taiwan's ability to continue to grow at an incredible pace. Uh, no, no, no, no region, uh, is, is, uh, uh, better prepared for the continued growth of AI than Taiwan. And I, I, I absolutely, uh, uh, continue to expect Taiwan to grow at an outpaced, you know, a very accelerated pace, uh, for many years to come.
>> Now, Jensen has a reputation for being a tough boss, right? I think to paraphrase, he was known to what? Torture his staff. [Laughter] What was his, uh, you know, own take on that reputation? You know, was he defensive about it?
>> Not at all. He actually leaned into it. He compared himself to a typical Taiwanese parent: very demanding, always critical, but ultimately wanting the best for you. He said his torture is really constant feedback. He doesn't hold back, but it comes from wanting people to improve. And he says, once the feedback is given, it's over. You move on, and no grudges. So here's what he says.
I, well, it's not, it's not physical torture. [Laughter] It's, it's the, it's torture the same way that Taiwanese parents torture people, you know. You know, in a Taiwanese parent, it, nothing is ever good enough. Nothing is ever good enough. And, and, uh, you can't go, you can't go a day without without some criticism. And that's the Taiwanese way. And I'm kind of the same way. Uh, you can't, you can't show me something without me giving you some criticism. And, and I guess in a lot of ways, that, that's my form of torture. You know, I, I will, I will give you my feedback, um, always, always, uh, immediately. Um, I'll never save it away. Uh, once I give you my feedback, just like a Taiwanese parent, once the feedback is given, you're back to loving the person again. And, and so you're, I'm, I'm always, uh, I'm always, uh, uh, critical of, of everybody's work so that I can help them be better. I want them to be better. I know they could be better. And, and so that's where, where it's coming from.
>> You know, this thing about Asian parenting, right? You can move on and no grudges might be easier for the one who's giving the advice and the one receiving the advice. You know, the many of us who grew up very traumatized by the kind [Laughter] of parenting. Me too. [Gasps] Um, now, he was also quite candid about his own early years growing up, right? Uh, struggling immigrant parents and also humble beginnings. Tell us more.
>> What stood out is how much his upbringing shaped him. He talked about his parents moving from Taiwan to Thailand, then to the US, starting with very little, no network, no support system, just taking risks for a better future. And you can see how that translates into his mindset today: that sense of discipline, precision, and also resilience. He still carries that immigrant drive, that fear of failure, but also that determination to succeed. Now, this is what he says.
>> I guess we're all the products of our parents. Um, my father is, is very technical, uh, very precise, uh, does work perfectly, and, uh, perfect handwriting, does everything perfectly. You know, his, his level of craft and precision and just the way he does everything in his life, um, is something that I had the benefit of learning from. And, uh, on the other hand, uh, my mom's, uh, obsession for details, uh, uh, just a, a deep obsession for, um, you know, she, she has a personality that can't let anything go, you know. And, and, um, in a lot of ways, I, I think I've picked up that part of her, her, uh, her, uh, behavior. And, and so, you know, I, I can focus on something for a very long time, like Nvidia, for 33 years. And, and, uh, every day I'm equally obsessed and equally, you know, equally, uh, intense about about doing a good job. And, and so I think I had the benefit of, of, uh, growing up with a lot of those Taiwanese characteristics, you know. Um, they're, they're, they're very much like a Taiwanese, Taiwanese, uh, parent. Um, I, I also think that that we grew up, they, they sacrificed a lot, uh, leaving Taiwan and, and, uh, left their, left families behind, and they went to Thailand with very little, and they went to United States with nothing. And so, um, when they went to United States, uh, we were basically alone. Uh, there were no friends, no family, uh, you know, to be there with us. And, um, uh, and because they were, they were so modest, uh, and we had so little, uh, and, and, uh, living in United States, going from Taiwan, is, is very challenging because the cost of living is so much higher. And, and so, I, I think, I think, um, our humble, humble, uh, life, and, uh, uh, and just seeing my parents, uh, struggle, and, and, um, uh, finding a place in, in a strange world, uh, and the risk that they took so that we could, we can grow up in America and enjoy the American dream, uh, and have the opportunities that led to, led to, uh, Nvidia today, and led to me today. Uh, that all of those sacrifices, um, instill, instills a, a character in you. And so, I'm grateful for, uh, all the sacrifices and the hard work that they, they, uh, uh, they made so that I could be here. And so, but I think that that journey was really an important part.
>> And, you know, you, you had, you know, a very rare sit-down interview with him, and was that length? How long was, uh, the entire interview that you had with him?
>> The entire interview was about 50 minutes.
>> Wow. That's very generous of him to give you that time. Right. You know.
>> I feel very, I feel very lucky. You are. And, and throughout this conversation, then, what was one of your favorite questions for, for Jensen?
>> My favorite question is that I asked him what drives him to work seven days a week and where did he get all that energy? Now, his answer was surprisingly honest. He said, "I'm exhausted all the time." But what keeps him going is a mix of things: responsibility, fear of failure, and also ambition. He feels accountable not just to his company, but to his employees, partners, even people here in Taiwan. And at the same time, there's this dreamer side of him. He wants to build something meaningful, something that shapes the future. Let's listen.
>> I'm exhausted all the time. [Laughter] Um, what, what drives me? Uh, I mean, it's, it's some, it's several things. It, it's on the one hand, it's as, as basic as I don't want to fail, and I don't want Nvidia to fail. And, uh, I don't, I don't want Nvidia to fail because we have too many, uh, too many people who, who are counting on me. And so, uh, you know, it's employees, as our partners, as our ecosystem partners, as, you know, all of my friends here in Taiwan. I want everybody to succeed. And so there's, there's a, there's a burden on on leaders, uh, that want everybody to to, to flourish and to realize their dreams and to hopefully, uh, succeed with us. And so there's a, there's a, there's a burden that comes with that. And, and, um, that gets me out of bed every day. Uh, at the same time, there's a, there's a hopeful, optimistic, um, uh, ambitious part of me that, that wants to build something that, that makes an impact, makes a contribution. Uh, there's a, there's a dreamer part of me that, that wants to create that future and hope, hope to see it in my lifetime. And so I'm in a hurry to to, uh, have it come true. Um, and so it's simultaneously the burden of, of, uh, of success and, and wanting other people to come along. Uh, the, the fear of failure, uh, that, that somehow because of how I was raised, because Nvidia has enjoyed, and gone through a lot of very difficult time. It was not easy to build Nvidia. It was not easy to, uh, uh, to be here today. And, and all of the struggles can never leave my body. You know, once, once you've struggled as deeply as, as Nvidia has, and as I, as I've had the benefit of, it becomes part of your character, and it never leaves you. I would like to work as long as I can. You know, I hope to die on the job. [Laughter] That would, that would be, that would be a dream come true.
All right, on that note, Vic, thank you so much. Well done again for scoring this interview. That is, you know, really an achievement, and of course, you know, uh, for having this really insightful conversation with Jensen. Thank you. So, we had the privilege to sit down with the man in charge of the world's most valuable AI-related company. Actually, the most valuable company, full stop. Now, behind the leather jacket, the celebrity status, and the trillions of dollars tied to Nvidia, we can see a man still shaped by immigrant parents, survival instincts, and a fear of failure. In Silicon Valley, he's the face of the AI boom. But more than his business facade, Jensen Huang sounds strangely familiar. Like every demanding Asian parent who insists you can always do better. Thanks for joining me on this episode of the CNA Correspondent [music] podcast. It's brought to you by Tiffany Ango, Craig Dale, Zika, and me, Genevieve Vu. Bye for now.