Nvidia boss presses G20 ministers to build AI infrastructure

Nvidia's CEO, Jensen Huang, implored G20 ministers to construct additional data centers to fuel the AI revolution, asserting that leaders warning of the technology's dangers risk leaving their nations behind. Huang made this plea during the second day of a G20 summit in North Carolina, where the administration had convened top AI executives to present their vision to world leaders.

Huang emphasized that AI represents essential infrastructure, akin to water, roads, electricity, and the internet. He stressed that every nation must invest in infrastructure to bolster its local economy. Nvidia, the company behind the generative AI surge, supplies crucial components, such as graphics processing units housed in data centers worldwide, for training AI models. These facilities offer the necessary digital intellectual capacity to support researchers, students, society, and industries.

Addressing concerns that AI could eliminate jobs, Huang dismissed this notion as nonsense. He argued that work would be redefined rather than eliminated, as tasks would be automated, but human purpose would remain. Huang cautioned that countries risk falling behind if leaders discuss AI with fear and uncertainty. The worst outcome, he warned, is not taking advantage of the technology and being left behind.

Huang also cautioned against overregulation of AI, echoing similar comments from tech mogul Elon Musk. He advised governments to focus on regulating actual and pragmatic harm rather than hypothetical theoretical risks. The appearance was moderated by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who described Huang as an "American treasure." Lutnick praised Nvidia for leading the United States on a path that no one could have imagined when they were young.

The meeting took place amid growing opposition to the construction of AI data centers in the United States, a topic gaining political significance as the country approaches midterm elections in November. President Donald Trump previously criticized opponents of AI data centers, asserting that they would result in backwardness and poverty.