“They’re Financing” a Rival: Jim Cramer Challenges Nvidia’s $30 Billion OpenAI Investment

Jim Cramer took CNBC Squawk on the Street to question Nvidia's $30 billion investment in OpenAI, wondering if the money is building a strategic partner or financing a rival. Unlike Nvidia's typical deals with equity protections, the OpenAI investment lacks preferred shares, warrants, or backstop guarantees. Nvidia has beaten earnings five straight times but fallen in five of the last six post-earnings sessions, with shares currently at $213.

Cramer pressed for Jensen Huang to explain Nvidia's master plan with these investments, asking whether it's creating an ecosystem or a liability. Cramer argued that giving $30 billion to OpenAI, which then creates a competitor called Jalapeño, essentially means financing a rival. OpenAI receives no ownership stake in Nvidia, unlike other deals where Nvidia provides multiple forms of support.

Nvidia's commitments total $30 billion in cloud services and $119 billion in supply-related investments, described by CFO Colette Kress as critical to market development and long-term position. Despite Nvidia's strong underlying business and current valuation, the company increasingly uses its balance sheet to shape the market, raising questions about the quality and structure of these investments.