Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says global collaboration in technology will continue under Trump administration

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang emphasized the enduring importance of global collaboration in technology even as the United States considers tightening export controls on advanced computing products under the incoming Trump administration. Speaking in Hong Kong on Saturday, Huang expressed confidence in the resilience of international scientific cooperation despite geopolitical challenges.

“Open science, collaboration between mathematics and science in global collaboration has existed for a very long time. This is the foundation of social progress and scientific progress,” Huang said during his visit to Hong Kong. “No matter what, we will balance compliance with laws and policies while continuing to improve our technology and serve our customers around the world.”

The tech industry has implemented tighter export restrictions since the first term of the Trump administration, policies citing national security concerns. These restrictions have affected Nvidia, the world leader in chips that support artificial intelligence applications, forcing the company to adapt its product line for the Chinese market. Despite possible changes under new management, Huang remained optimistic about Nvidia’s ability to comply with regulations while encouraging innovation.

Huang, who received an honorary doctorate in engineering from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), also touched upon concerns about the energy consumption of graphics processing units (GPUs), which are at the center of artificial intelligence operations. He argued that using energy for AI is a worthwhile investment, especially given the potential of AI to address global challenges.

“If the world uses more energy to power AI factories, we will be a better world when that happens,” Huang said. He suggested that AI supercomputers be deployed near sustainable energy sources, outside the traditional power grid, and in remote locations to minimize environmental impact.

Highlighting the transformative capabilities of artificial intelligence, Huang said: “AI can discover new ways to store carbon dioxide, design innovative wind turbines, and create materials for storing electricity.” Emphasizing its practical applications in solving global problems, he added, “The purpose of artificial intelligence is not education but inference.”

Earlier in the day, Huang gave a rousing commencement speech to HKUST graduates, declaring: “The era of artificial intelligence has begun.” He described this period as “a new computer age that will impact every industry and every field of science.”

Encouraging the graduates, 61-year-old Huang touched upon today’s opportunities and said, “The whole world has been reset. You are at the starting line with everyone else. “An industry is being reinvented.” He urged them to use the tools available in the AI-driven era to tackle the biggest challenges of our time.