Here’s a summary of the Jensen Huang oral history interview:
This Computer History Museum oral history traces Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s remarkable journey from his birthplace in Taiwan, through Thailand, a Kentucky boarding school, and Oregon State University, to Silicon Valley where he co-founded one of the world’s most valuable companies.
Career Path:
After graduating from Oregon State, Jensen joined AMD to work on microprocessor design, then moved to LSI Logic within a year to access cutting-edge design automation tools. At LSI, he collaborated with Chris Malachowsky and Curtis Priem from Sun Microsystems on chip development.
Founding Nvidia:
When Chris and Curtis decided to leave Sun and start their own company, they recruited Jensen to join them. The trio formed Nvidia in April 1993, focusing on computer graphics, with Jensen as CEO.
Key Themes:
Jensen candidly discusses Nvidia’s early struggles, mistakes, and multiple “near death” experiences, emphasizing the crucial lessons learned. He describes their strategic vision to extend their system architecture beyond 3D graphics into other markets—most significantly artificial intelligence, which became the catalyst for Nvidia’s explosive growth.
Leadership Philosophy:
Jensen attributes success not just to technology but to his unique management approach: “I simultaneously work in the future and work in the present, and I’m very hands-on. I create the conditions by which amazing people could do great work.” He avoids day-to-day operational meetings, instead focusing on creating the future and solving critical company problems.