Nvidia, the world’s most valuable company, announced it will invest up to $100 billion in OpenAI, the firm behind ChatGPT. The US tech giant said the funding will supply high-performance chips and build next-generation data centers needed for advanced artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s chief executive, called the partnership the “next leap forward” that will power the “next era of intelligence.” OpenAI cofounder Sam Altman added the collaboration would drive new AI breakthroughs and empower businesses and individuals at scale.
The deal underscores the intensifying global AI race, where US firms face rising competition from China. The emergence of DeepSeek-R1 has challenged US dominance, while governments on both sides of the Pacific have pressured Nvidia over its technology and market position.
China recently accused Nvidia of violating anti-monopoly laws, though it gave no details, and reportedly ordered top firms to halt purchases of its AI chips. Nvidia and rival AMD also agreed to pay the US government 15% of Chinese revenues to secure export licenses after Washington restricted AI chip sales to China.
Nvidia and OpenAI highlighted that they already work with major global players including Microsoft, Oracle, SoftBank, and Stargate. Greg Brockman, OpenAI’s cofounder, said the company has partnered with Nvidia since its earliest days, underlining the depth of their relationship.
The investment also follows Nvidia’s high-profile bets elsewhere, including a $5 billion stake in Intel and a £2 billion commitment to the UK’s AI sector. Both companies said details of the OpenAI partnership will be finalized in the coming weeks.
Nvidia’s shares rose 4% in Monday’s US trading after the announcement, reflecting investor confidence in the move. OpenAI revealed it now has more than 700 million weekly active users and emphasized that the deal advances its mission to develop artificial general intelligence for the benefit of humanity.
By aligning cutting-edge chip technology with OpenAI’s research scale, Nvidia is positioning itself at the core of AI’s global expansion. The partnership signals a new phase in the battle to define the future of artificial intelligence, with US firms racing to secure leadership against China’s rising ambitions.
