Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has offered high praise for Elon Musk, comparing the tech billionaire’s cognitive abilities to one of Nvidia’s powerful graphics processing units (GPUs) during an appearance on the “BG2 podcast.” Huang’s comments come as Musk pushes forward with ambitious AI infrastructure projects, particularly the Colossus II AI training cluster being built outside Memphis, Tennessee.
According to Huang, Musk possesses a unique ability to manage complex, interdependent systems entirely within his own mind. “All of these systems are interoperating and the interdependencies reside in one head, including the financing,” Huang explained, highlighting Musk’s capacity to juggle multiple aspects of building what Musk claims will be “the world’s first Gigawatt AI training cluster.”
The Nvidia CEO described AI supercomputers as “unquestionably the most complex systems problem humanity has ever endeavored,” noting the complications involved in technology, procurement, financing, and securing land and power. When podcast hosts compared Musk to a “big GPT” or supercomputer, Huang went further, declaring “He’s the ultimate GPU.”
Musk’s xAI Colossus II data center represents a massive investment in AI infrastructure, with documents reviewed by Business Insider revealing at least $400 million spent on what’s described as the world’s largest supercomputer. The facility currently comprises at least 200,000 Nvidia GPUs and aims to expand to at least 1 million GPUs.
Huang’s praise isn’t entirely surprising given the business relationship between the companies. Musk’s various ventures are major Nvidia customers, with Tesla, xAI, and other Musk-led companies purchasing massive quantities of Nvidia’s chips, which have become essential commodities in the AI arms race among tech giants.
The Nvidia CEO attributed Musk’s potential success to a combination of factors: “He has a great sense of urgency. He has a real desire to build it, and so when will comes together with skill, unbelievable things can happen. Quite unique.” Huang expressed confidence that Musk could achieve the gigawatt milestone before any competitors.
This development comes as Nvidia continues to dominate the AI chip market, recently announcing a $100 billion investment into OpenAI—led by Musk’s rival Sam Altman—to support AI data center expansion. The company’s GPUs have become the backbone of Big Tech’s AI infrastructure buildout.
Key Quotes
All of these systems are interoperating and the interdependencies reside in one head, including the financing.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang explained what makes Elon Musk uniquely capable of building complex AI supercomputers, highlighting Musk’s ability to manage multiple interdependent systems simultaneously—a rare skill in tackling what Huang calls humanity’s most complex systems problem.
He’s the ultimate GPU.
Huang’s response when podcast hosts compared Musk to a ‘big GPT’ or supercomputer, elevating the comparison to Nvidia’s own graphics processing units—the chips that power AI systems and form the core of Nvidia’s business.
He has a great sense of urgency. He has a real desire to build it, and so when will comes together with skill, unbelievable things can happen. Quite unique.
The Nvidia CEO explained the combination of factors that make Musk capable of achieving ambitious AI infrastructure goals, emphasizing both his motivation and technical capabilities in building the Colossus II supercomputer.
I would not be surprised if he gets to a gigawatt before anybody else does.
Huang expressed confidence in Musk’s ability to achieve the milestone of building the first gigawatt-scale AI training cluster, despite the enormous technical and logistical challenges involved in such a project.
Our Take
Huang’s effusive praise for Musk should be viewed through the lens of their business relationship—Musk’s companies represent hundreds of millions in GPU purchases for Nvidia. However, the underlying point about AI infrastructure scaling is significant. The race to gigawatt-scale computing represents a fundamental shift in how AI capabilities are developed, moving from algorithmic innovation to raw computational power. This creates a new competitive dynamic where capital and energy access matter as much as technical talent. The comparison of Musk to a GPU is particularly apt: both process massive amounts of information in parallel, but the real question is whether human-directed infrastructure buildouts can keep pace with AI’s exponential demands. As Nvidia positions itself at the center of multiple competing AI ecosystems—from Musk’s xAI to OpenAI—the company’s role as both supplier and kingmaker becomes increasingly complex and potentially problematic for market competition.
Why This Matters
This story highlights the critical intersection of AI infrastructure, chip manufacturing, and the competitive dynamics shaping the artificial intelligence industry. Musk’s ambitious Colossus II project represents the scale of investment required to compete in advanced AI development, with hundreds of millions of dollars needed just for computing hardware.
The relationship between Nvidia and major AI players like Musk and OpenAI demonstrates how GPU manufacturers have become kingmakers in the AI race. Nvidia’s dominance in providing the computational backbone for AI training gives the company unprecedented influence over which projects succeed.
For the broader AI industry, the push toward gigawatt-scale data centers signals an escalating infrastructure arms race that could determine which companies lead in AI capabilities. The massive energy and financial requirements create significant barriers to entry, potentially consolidating AI development among well-funded players.
This also reflects growing concerns about AI’s energy consumption and the sustainability of scaling AI systems. As companies race to build ever-larger training clusters, questions about power grid capacity, environmental impact, and resource allocation become increasingly urgent for policymakers and society.
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Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/nvidia-jensen-huang-elon-musk-ultimate-gpu-2025-10