Nvidia buys Hugging Face for $12.9B, promises not to squeeze too hard

Nvidia has reached a deal to acquire AI developer platform Hugging Face for $12.9 billion, solidifying its presence in the landscape of open models. After days of speculation, Nvidia announced on Thursday it has finalized a definitive agreement to acquire the model-sharing hub, often compared to a GitHub for AI developers. The deal is set to finalize in the first half of 2027, contingent on regulatory approval and other standard closing conditions.

Open foundation models and the software created around them fuel the demand for Nvidia's accelerators and software offerings. By acquiring one of the principal platforms where developers interact with and share these models, Nvidia aims to increase the utilization of its hardware. Nvidia indicated the acquisition would provide Hugging Face with additional resources and assistance for developers constructing, sharing, and deploying open models and applications.

The company assured that the platform would remain open, enabling model creators, developers, and users to access models and datasets of their choice. This is an ongoing development, and updates will be provided as additional information becomes accessible.