Nvidia developed the GeForce graphics processors and became a leading maker of chips for artificial intelligence.
Founded in 1993 by Jensen Huang, Chris Malachowsky, and Curtis Priem, Nvidia first became widely known for graphics processing units, or GPUs, used in personal computers and video games. Its GeForce brand remains closely associated with gaming graphics cards.
Nvidia’s GPUs also proved highly effective for parallel computing, in which many calculations are performed simultaneously. That capability helped make its hardware important for machine learning and generative artificial intelligence. The company supplies both chips and software tools, including the CUDA platform, which lets developers use Nvidia GPUs for general-purpose computing.
A common mix-up is confusing Nvidia with Intel or AMD. Intel has long been associated with central processors, while AMD makes both CPUs and competing Radeon GPUs. Nvidia’s market capitalization rose sharply as demand for AI computing infrastructure expanded, placing it among the world’s most valuable publicly traded companies.