Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has publicly affirmed the company’s commitment to investing in OpenAI, dismissing recent reports of tension between the two AI industry giants. In an interview on CNBC’s “Mad Money” on Tuesday, Huang stated there was “no drama” between Nvidia and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, addressing speculation about their business relationship.
Huang confirmed that Nvidia’s September 2024 deal with OpenAI remains intact, under which the chipmaker planned to invest up to $100 billion in the AI startup. More significantly, he expressed strong interest in participating in a future OpenAI initial public offering (IPO). “The first deal is on,” Huang stated, adding, “And then there’s, of course, an IPO in the future. We love to be participating in that as well.”
The Nvidia CEO praised OpenAI as a “once in a generation company” and emphasized that Nvidia is “delighted to invest in it.” These comments come amid reports suggesting internal concerns at both companies. The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday that the investment had sparked unease among some Nvidia executives who questioned the deal’s merits. Separately, Reuters reported that OpenAI had expressed dissatisfaction with certain newer Nvidia chips and had explored alternatives since last year.
Both Huang and Altman have actively pushed back against these reports. Huang told reporters in Taipei on Saturday that speculation of dissatisfaction was “nonsense,” adding that Nvidia would invest “a great deal of money, probably the largest investment we’ve ever made.” Sam Altman echoed this sentiment on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “We love working with NVIDIA and they make the best AI chips in the world. We hope to be a gigantic customer for a very long time. I don’t get where all this insanity is coming from.”
The relationship between the two companies is crucial for the AI industry. OpenAI is one of the world’s most valuable private AI companies and a major customer for Nvidia’s chips, which power the training and deployment of large language models like ChatGPT. While OpenAI has not announced IPO plans, its massive fundraising and computing needs have fueled ongoing speculation about how it will finance future growth. Investor Michael Burry noted in January that ChatGPT “kicked off a multi-trillion-dollar infrastructure race,” comparing it to a scenario where “someone built a prototype robot and every business in the world started investing for a robot future.”
Key Quotes
The first deal is on. And then there’s, of course, an IPO in the future. We love to be participating in that as well.
Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s CEO, made this statement on CNBC’s “Mad Money,” confirming both the existing $100 billion investment deal and expressing strong interest in participating in OpenAI’s potential future IPO, demonstrating Nvidia’s long-term commitment to the AI startup.
We love working with NVIDIA and they make the best AI chips in the world. We hope to be a gigantic customer for a very long time. I don’t get where all this insanity is coming from.
Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, posted this on X (formerly Twitter) to directly counter reports of tension between the companies, emphasizing the strong partnership and dismissing speculation about dissatisfaction with Nvidia’s products.
We will invest a great deal of money, probably the largest investment we’ve ever made.
Jensen Huang told reporters in Taipei, underscoring the unprecedented scale of Nvidia’s commitment to OpenAI and calling speculation of dissatisfaction “nonsense,” which highlights how critical this partnership is to Nvidia’s AI strategy.
It’s like someone built a prototype robot and every business in the world started investing for a robot future.
Investor Michael Burry wrote this in a Substack exchange, describing how ChatGPT sparked a “multi-trillion-dollar infrastructure race,” capturing the transformative impact of generative AI on global business investment patterns.
Our Take
The coordinated public statements from both Huang and Altman suggest that recent media reports may have overstated internal concerns, or that both companies recognize the need to project unity given their mutual dependence. Nvidia’s willingness to make its “largest investment ever” in OpenAI is remarkable, especially considering the chipmaker’s traditional role as a hardware supplier rather than a major venture investor. This signals a strategic shift where Nvidia is betting not just on selling chips, but on owning equity in the AI applications layer. An OpenAI IPO would be a watershed moment for the AI industry, potentially valued at over $100 billion based on recent private funding rounds. However, the path to public markets raises questions about OpenAI’s governance structure, its nonprofit origins, and whether public market pressures might conflict with its stated mission of developing safe AGI. The Nvidia-OpenAI relationship will likely serve as a template for future AI ecosystem partnerships.
Why This Matters
This development is significant for several reasons. First, it demonstrates the deepening financial ties between AI infrastructure providers and AI application developers, a relationship that will shape the industry’s future. Nvidia’s potential $100 billion investment and interest in an OpenAI IPO represents one of the largest commitments in AI history, signaling confidence in generative AI’s long-term viability.
Second, the public pushback from both CEOs against tension rumors highlights the strategic importance of their partnership. Nvidia depends on AI companies like OpenAI to drive demand for its advanced chips, while OpenAI needs Nvidia’s cutting-edge hardware to maintain its competitive edge in the rapidly evolving AI race.
Third, speculation about an OpenAI IPO raises critical questions about the future of private AI companies. As these firms require massive capital for compute infrastructure and research, going public may become necessary, potentially opening AI investment opportunities to broader markets. This could democratize access to AI company ownership while also subjecting these firms to greater scrutiny and quarterly performance pressures. The outcome will influence how AI innovation is funded and governed in the coming decade.
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Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/jensen-huang-nvidia-back-future-openai-ipo-sam-altman-drama-2026-2