TechStuff TechStuff Redux: Will NVIDIA Save or Ruin The World?
Dec 26, 2025
Stephen Witt, an insightful author and journalist known for his contributions to The New Yorker, dives deep into the world of NVIDIA, the titan of chip-making. He reveals how NVIDIA's GPUs revolutionized AI, discusses the secretive nature of data centers, and critiques potential risks surrounding AI advancements. Witt also profiles Jensen Huang’s intense leadership style, explores threats to NVIDIA's dominance, and warns of the catastrophic implications if AI systems misinterpret directives. An eye-opening conversation on technology's powerful impact!
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GPUs Sparked The Modern AI Boom
- NVIDIA's GPUs shifted from gaming to powering neural-network AI by enabling massive speedups in training.
- That raw compute advantage made previously fringe research mainstream and started the modern AI boom.
NVIDIA Is Systemically Important
- NVIDIA's rise is tightly linked to the data center build-out and passive investor exposure via index funds.
- A major NVIDIA crash would ripple through retirement accounts and the broader market.
Jensen Huang's Pressure-Calibrated Leadership
- Jensen Huang started in restaurants and is calm under adversity but ruthless when succeeding.
- Stephen Witt describes him as intense, unpredictable, and prone to public berating of underperformers.